Rosier's Prophecy
by merlotblanc1
Summary: Druella Black, the matriarch of the Black House, is dying. Before her death she receives a prophecy that makes it possible for her to save her daughters from Voldemort. With Dumbledore's help the Black daughters are sent 30 years into the future. What will happen when the three Blacks meet Harry, Hermoine and Ron? [Hermoine and Bellatrix] :)
1. Chapter 1

Druella Black made her way through Hogwarts as if she owned the place. Her body screamed in pain for the mere activity of walking, but she refused to pity herself.

She has an objective.

She has to save her daughters from Riddle.

Dumbledore welcomed her outside his office. He was wearing a purple cloak, and a matching hat, and his blue eyes flickered briefly with shock when he saw how much the once powerful and beautiful witch of the House of Black declined in health since he has last saw her.

"Druella! Welcome!" Dumbledore opened his arms in welcome, and Druella reluctantly allowed the headmaster to peck her on the one cheek in greeting.

"Dumbledore." She stiffly greeted. "I don't have much time, so please don't waste it by false formalities."

"Ah, as direct as ever. Bellatrix certainly inherited that trait from you, Druella." Dumbledore smiled mischievously.

"Good. I would hate for my Bella to give the lazy teachers in this school a convenient time." Druella answered coldly.

"Not to worry, we have our hands full with her. As you are well aware, naturally." Dumbledore responded kindheartedly.

"I am aware. Minerva has wasted a large portion of her life by sending me personally written complaints involving Bella." Druella responded smoothly.

Dumbledore chuckled as they made their way up the gargoyle staircase that lead to his office. Druella had to repress a sigh of relief when she was able to sit down. She felt exhausted and she hasn't even done anything effective as of yet. Refusing to feel dejected, she forced her herself to listen to Dumbledore's cheerful voice.

"….teachers in the school are among the best wizards and witches in the world. You pride yourself on your daughters, yes, that is a well-known fact - and I pride myself on this school."

"Then tell me, Dumbledore. How did a school like this manage to teach a boy named Tom Marvolo Riddle? How did a _pupil of Hogwarts_ suddenly turn out to be the wicked wizard that he is today? Did nobody realise that _something_ was amiss with the wizard? Should I blame the teachers, or should I blame you? And don't pretend you didn't know _what filth_ he must have been while he attended. I am no fool, I know you to be a powerful and observant wizard." Druella asked, happy that she was able to insult Tom Riddle, Hogwarts, its teachers and Dumbledore in one-go.

Dumbledore remained silent so Druella continued.

"Or were you just happy to get rid of the wizard, that now goes by the name _Lord Voldemort_? He calls himself _a lord_ , I beg you?" Druella laughed humourlessly. "Were you all relieved to scoot him out of this school the moment he wrote his NEWTS? I don't blame you - I would have pretended him to be the next _Merlin_ had it meant that he would only be my problem for 7 years. Unfortunately, as I think you know by now, he is now the problem for many outside Hogwarts too."

To Druella's disgusted surprise, Dumbledore smiled.

"Druella, you are right as ever. And yet, so very wrong."

"Wrong?" Druella lifted her eyebrow.

Albus again, just smiled at Druella as she clenched her fist on her lap. She wished she had the strength to hex him back to reality.

"Tom was an excellent student. He excelled in every subject. Teachers adored him; students envied him and respected him. He could do no wrong in the eyes of anyone. He was careful and cautious of me. I always suspected him the culprit of the wrong-doings his followers so easily took the blame for, but it was difficult to find proof. Teachers suspected me, at one stage, to be envious of his abilities, because I wasn't as gracious towards him. Many pitied him just because he grew up in a muggle orphanage."

"He grew up in a muggle orphanage? No wonder…"

"Hush now, Druella… Many muggleborns do not come from the greatest of households, but the same can be said about some of our students that grow up in wizarding homes." Dumbledore lightly informed the witch. Druella nodded as she thought about all the bloodtraiter families among the purebloods. The Prewetts, the Wesleys, the Potters, the Longbottoms, the Bones', the Creevey's...

"His muggle backround, I believe, amplified his hatred towards muggleborns and muggles, but I don't believe for one second he makes up for that hate by embracing pure-bloods or half-bloods with a loving manner."

"No he doesn't. He used the crucio curse on my Bella. He punishes her and..." Druella stopped. She couldn't afford to rant about the sufferings of Bellatrix now. That part of her conversation needs to take place later.

Dumbledore pierced at her carefully over his half-moon glasses, looking interested and worried. "So am I right in assuming that he is interested in Bella to join his army? It's unsurprising, she is the best witch of her age." Dumbledore smiles lightly at Druella, which only infuriates her.

"You would gladly sit by and see how he recruits young Slytherines such as Bellatrix, wouldn't you?" Druella forcefully asked.

"Careful Druella…"

"No. I will speak my mind. As it is, I am dying. And my family is falling apart. My weakened state will provide Tom Riddle the perfect opportunity to take Bella as his own. She is a strong witch, yes, but she craves attention, knowledge and protection. None of those that I can provide, given my health, like a mother should…" Druella suppresses the tears that start to form in her eyes. "He will conform her to do things I never envisioned for her."

"I could be mistaken, Druella, but it seems as if you know more than you let on?" Dumbledore lightly asks.

"Yes." Druella sighed. "I saw the future, Dumbledore. And don't make me out for a Divination fan, I _hate_ that nonsense. But, something came to me, while I was recovering from my last St. Mungo's visit. It was a light, almost like a patronus, but not quite…"

"And what did it reveal?" Dumbledore interrupted.

Druella stopped and gave the headmaster a dirty look. How dare he interrupt her?

"The future of my three daughters." Druella eventually answered, looking haunted.

"And it doesn't look too good?" Dumbledore tested.

"No, you sodding fool it doesn't!" Druella screams, and clutches her heart in regret of her outburst. The pain her incurable illness caused were almost unbearable, and she would much rather spend her time with her daughters than with a clueless headmaster. She always respected his abilities as a wizard, but never respected him as a headmaster. After all, what does a powerful wizard such as himself seek to achieve by running a school? After a few minutes, with her breathing under control, she began to explain. "Bellatrix becomes a Death Eater. Andromeda marries a mudblood, which by the way, destroys her father since Andy has always been Cygnus' favourite, and Cissy marries Lucius Malfoy, another future death eater."

"I must say, Druella, I am quite surprised that the matriarch of the Black House finds fault with Tom Riddle's cause?"

"I am a proud Black by marriage, but I am truly a Rosier. And I cannot stand by and watch as Tom Riddle tortures Bellatrix and uses her power as a witch, to abide to _his_ wills, as if she is a common mule. We Black's and Rosier's always had choices and we will not bow down to anybody, especially not to _half-bloods_."

"You know Tom is a half-blood?" Dumbledore observed more than asked, looking truly curious for the first time since the meeting begun.

Druella eyed Dumbledore curiously as well, surprised that he too, knew. Even her best friends believed Tom Riddle to be _pure_.

"I did my research. Marvolo is an ancient wizarding family, and they are thought to be extinct. And Riddle is not a wizarding name registered in Great Britain. How he possibly could've begun a cause for the 'pure' is rather hypocritical…" Druella laughed cruelly.

"The Marvolo's, where did you find information about them?" Dumbledore asked again.

"In one of the libraries at the manor. It explains everything about that ancient house. The last Marvolo's lived near a small muggle town not so far from Hogsmeade." Druella answered. "And you probably want access to our libraries, don't you?" Druella asked coyly.

"Yes, that would delight me." Dumbledore smiled.

"Access will only be granted into the Black Manor if I get what I want." Druella responded flatly.

"I highly doubt that I'm going to intervene with the future just because you do not like how the future unfolds for your daughters, Druella."

"I am _meant_ to intervene – it is a spell designed by the Rosier's – to help those who are about to go on a path they're not meant to tread on…"

"How does it work?" Dumbledore asked.

"The spell sends the Rosier – or the Rosier's – three decades into the future. Twelve full moons will pass, after which the Rosier will be provided by a prophecy. The prophecy will come to each Rosier in its own unique way. And when it comes, a choice will need to be made. Either you listen to the prophecy, or you don't." Druella took a deep breath. This was difficult to explain simply. "If you choose to listen to the prophecy, and become knowledgeable of whom you _would have been_ in the past, you will not be allowed to go back to the past. If you choose not to listen to the prophecy, you will be sent back to the past."

"I see. So if you go back to your own time, you will have no knowledge of the future. If you listen to the prophecy, you will forever be stuck in a time never meant to be yours."

"Yes." Druella answered flatly.

"And what if you listen to the prophecy and regret not returning to your own time to achieve the things that could have been?"

"Then it's just too bad, isn't it?" Druella sarcastically replied. "Look, Andromeda can return. She turns out how I expected her to turn out. She has always been a naïve dreamer, and by being my husband's favourite, she was protected. She never developed the spine Bella and Cissy have today. How she ended up in Slytherin is a mystery - only the dirty hat knows how she ended up there." Druella pointed to the sorting hat, situated between thick books on a bookshelf. "Cissy marries a pureblood, a Malfoy. I can't be happier about that. She looks content with her life, and _even though_ her husband is a death eater, she remained a neutral observer. She knew enough to be considered one of them, and knew too little to be fully drawn into their little death eater 'club'. I am proud of how she handled herself."

"And Bellatrix?"

"She… becomes one of the darkest witches of her time. And she marries a Lestrange. She despises the Lestrange boys, I can't imagine what persuaded her to marry one of them… They are not even wealthy." Druella shakes her head. "And she goes to Azkaban for torturing the…" Druella stops, yet again, and lifts her chin. "Bella needs to get away from Tom Riddle. He will be her downfall. The downfall of the the House of Black."

"If you are not concerned for Andromeda and Cissy, maybe we can only send Bellatrix?"

"No. They will need each other after my death. I do not want one of them to stay behind to explain to Riddle why Bellatrix is gone and they are not. I don't want them to be tortured for information about her whereabouts."

Dumbledore nodded.

"You can see it, Dumbledore, as a one year holiday into the future for my daughters, and I need you to provide the transport - by performing the spell."

"Shouldn't the spell be performed by a Rosier?"

"Yes, or an entrusted. And that would be you if you accept. As I said, I am too weak to perform it." Druella answered, annoyed.

"And if I refuse?"

Druella pretends to think for a while, even though she knows exactly what to say. "Do you remember my grandmother Cassandra? I'm sure you do, she was an avid believer and active supporter of Grindelwald's views."

"Grindelwald was a tainted wizard, Druella." Druella smirks internally when she sees Dumbledore's fleeting hardened gaze, only to be replaced again by his annoying, ever-present, expression of _patience_.

"That I know. But you didn't always pay attention to _that_ , did you? My grandmother Cassandra were always too happy to mention the _special_ friendship. For the greater good."

"Druella. Stop." Dumbledore warned her. If Druella wasn't so desperate, she would have been wary of Dumbledore's warning, but she had to push through.

"And my godmother, Bathilda Bagshot, still happily applies me with knowledge about the times of old. About the time when the great Dumbledore and Grindelwald lived in Godric's Hollow. About how you and Aberforth fought about your sister's well-being… Is it true that muggles turned your little sis into a squib?"

"And what will you do with that information if I refuse to meddle with the future?" Dumbledore asked, dangerously.

"I know many editors, Dumbledore. And I will happily provide them with the information of your past. It will be the greatest scoop of their lives. Everybody will know that the great Dumbledore didn't _only_ defeat the most evil wizard of that time, but also his _lover_."

"Very well. And if I do this, what will I gain?" Dumbledore asked, tiredly.

"Financial support. There will be a war in the near future, and I'm sure you're aware of that. And I'm sure you will require all the funds that you could require. Few pureblood families can compete with our wealth, and those that can will fund Riddle. And would you rather have little ol' Tom spend our money? If Bella is to become his devoted follower he will have access to the Black's wealth. If you help me by performing the spell on my girls, I will ensure that you are the protegee."

"What will your daughters inherit?"

"The Rosier estate. You will get access to Cygnus' estate." Druella felt as if she spoke to an idiot. "And the Rosier estate is more than enough to support all three of them for life and more." Druella chuckled. Money wasn't the problem here. If her daughters ended up in the future with nothing, which she never would allow, she would expect them to have the decency to marry for wealth – or at the very least - make the necessary connections to gain it.

"Very well. I will do it." Dumbeldore smiles pleasantly.

"You will do it?" Druella eyed him warily.

"Yes, because it will be, ah, how to put it? Interesting?" Dumbledore smile brightens, ever so slightly.

Druella smirked, for the first time in months she felt relieved and in control. Dumbledore would help.

"I will perform the spell on your daughters. But how do you propose we explain their sudden disappearance, and reappearance in time?"

"We don't. Not now. After twelve full moons, they will hopefully understand. They will still be young enough to get over my betrayal."

"And if they don't?"

"If they don't understand - I die a useless mother. But, I will die a useless mother by _not_ intervening as well... This is all hope I have."

"And what do you leave your husband, Cygnus? Daughterless and bankrupt?"

"My husband will most probably be tortured and killed by Tom Riddle after their disappearance. And since Andromeda has fallen in love with a mudblood, it will shatter him to disown her. Since _that_ will not occur, he will die with his honour intact. He will die believing that he was a good father and that he hasn't failed them."

"What if the Tom Riddle is still in power after three decades? Wouldn't Bella seek him out and become who she would have become in her own time?"

"I don't know, but I am giving witches and/or wizards thirty years to kill the bastard." Druella mockingly replied. "Let's hope that someone would have succeeded by then, so that none of my daughters will ever meet Riddle again. Especially Bella."

"Very well. When should I perform the spell on your daughters?"

"The Healers said I only have three days left. My daughters should attend my funeral, and directly after that – disappear. I believe that Tom Riddle will be invited to my funeral by my sister in-law, Walburga Black. She has an _indecent_ crush on him. She probably _can't wait_ to be the oldest Black female in the family. Her boys, Sirius and Regulus, will probably one day join _his_ cause to impress that irritating hag. Anyway, Riddle, I believe, would want arrange a meeting with Bella as soon as possible after my funeral. Once I'm gone, Bella will be uncontrollable for a while - vulnerable. She will seek comfort from _him_.. And I think he wants to brand her arm with his 'rumoured' dark mark, which only means one thing…"

"She will be sent on a murder mission." Dumbledore ended her sentence sadly.

"And she will do it. She will kill. And there will be no turning back after that. She only just turned 17…" Druella began to sob.

"You want me to do it after your funeral. Who will provide me with the time, date and place?" Dumbledore asked gently, but with determination.

"Quenzi. She is our head house-elf in the manor, and she will appear to you when the time is right. I know I have asked a lot of you, but could you please open up a space for Quenzi at Hogwarts? She is a great server and will do me proud even in my absence."

"And by that, I assume, you keep her save from Tom's onslaught after your daughters disappear?"

"Yes. She will always be a Black house-elf, this is just for time-being."

"For thirty years?" Dumbledore smiled.

Druella rolled her eyes, but smirked.

"Is this it, then?" Dumbledore asked, as if they just discussed the best flavoured butter-beer in town.

"Yes." Druella smiled, feeling tired. She achieved what she came here to do – she protected her daughters and outwitted Tom Riddle – for now. The rest will be up to her daughters.

"Thank you, Dumbledore." At her thanks, Dumbledore smiled happily.

Druella struggled to stand up from her chair and felt grateful that Dumbledore didn't have the nerve to ask her if she required help.

"Druella?" Dumbledore inquired softly.

"Yes?"

"I've heard many rumours about your fast declining health, but I thought it to be gossip."

"Sadly, it's not. No Healer in Europe, or anywhere in the world, knows how to cure me."

"How did it start?"

"With Tom Riddle." Druella answered with a rather childish voice, and chuckled bitterly.

"Care to explain?"

"Tom Riddle attended the annual Black Manor Christmas ball last year. He requested to meet with Bellatrix, and I refused him. He visited regularly after the ball, hoping to meet Bella eventually by impressing me with useless gifts. I never trusted the man. His aura spelled 'doom', and I wanted him away from my daughters and away from my house. I, meanwhile in secret, researched Riddle's past in the manor and discovered him to be a half-blood. Needless to say, his next unannounced visit in the manor resulted in a peculiar confrontation between him and I. We dueled..."

"You dueled?" Dumbledore interrupted, sounding surprised.

"Yes, he is skilled, but I was better. He is not the _only one_ with knowledge about the dark arts." Druella informed Dumbledore, and childishly enjoyed the disapproving gaze he gave her. "I had the upper-hand - leading him to apparate away like the _coward_ that I know he is."

"And then what happened?"

"After _that_ fateful day he never returned to the Black Manor and I foolishly thought that I succeeded to scare him off. But, then I 'suddenly' got ill. My illness took control over my powers slowly at first, but as the curse in my body began to spread I deteriorated quite quickly. My powers are too weak to keep him out of the Black Manor and now, _without_ my consent, he has tutored Bella in the attic every Wednesday evening this past summer. He knows that there is nothing that I can do to stop him. He is a sadist, he _enjoys_ seeing how weak I have become. And he knows exactly how feeble my husband Cygnus is..."

"Was it a curse he sent you during your duel, or one of his gifts that he tried to impress you with that cursed you?"

"You have an _irritating_ habit of interrupting me, Dumbledore. I'd have you know that it is a habit I normally don't tolerate very well." Druella warned Dumbledore. She might be weak but she still had bite.

"My apologies." Dumbledore innocently smiled at Druella, who decided to answer his question anyway.

"It was gift he gave me on one of his previous visists... I always had a weakness for black pearls, and that was the one present he gave me that I didn't throw away." Druella recalled. "I realised too late that the black pearls were cursed. _Vanity_ , Dumbledore, is the cause of my death. And you are the only one that knows the truth." Druella laughed sadly.

"Did you destroy the pearls when you realised?" Dumbledore apologetically asked.

"Of course. I destroyed it with Basilisk's venom in my potions lab."

Dumbledore raised a curious eyebrow at the witch. It was against the law to have Basilisk venom in a home - and even professional potion-makers searched for years to get their hands on that scarce ingredient.

"My husband knows a guy." Druella explained, feeling a bit irked at herself for revealing so much.

"So Tom is indeed the cause of your death." Dumbledore concluded thoughtfully.

"Well, _I_ don't believe in coincidences, Dumbledore." Druella answered softly, walking out of the headmasters office without granting the headmaster a second look.

Dumbledore watched as the witch left his office - and he sadly realised that he would never see Druella Black, the once great witch, alive again.


	2. Chapter 2

"Good evening, Severus. Thank you for joining us on such short notice." Dumbledore greeted Professor Snape as he walked into the headmaster's office.

"Good evening, Albus." Professor Snape greeted and nodded at Professor McGonagall, who was already sitting opposite Dumbledore's desk.

"Please, be seated Severus." Dumbeldore politely pointed to the seat next to Professor McGonagall's - which he swiftly took.

"What is it that you require of us?" Professor Snape was never one to waste time.

"I wish to inform you, Severus and Minerva, that three new students will join us this year." Dumbledore explained with a smile.

"And who might they be?" Professor Snape responded, with a bored and cool tone.

"Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa Black." Dumbeldore responded, and chuckled when he saw the dumbstruck expressions written on their faces.

"But, Albus…" Professor McGonagall began, "the Black girls have been gone for _three_ decades."

"I'm well aware, Minerva." Dumbledore agreed.

"Are you sure that it will be them?" Professor Snape asked curiously.

"As sure as the Giant Hippogriff's will be bottom of the league this year, Severus." Dumbledore smiled happily. "Which is a shame, since four previous Hogwarts students play for the struggling quidditch team."

"But how can it be? For years witches and wizards have speculated about their sudden disappearances and no questions were ever answered. What will they be doing _at Hogwarts_ after all this time?" Professor McGonagall wondered aloud.

"They will be going to school, Minerva." Dumbledore answered, simply.

"But surely they are too old now to…"

"Minerva, I'm sure Albus knows something that we know not." Professor Snape interrupted.

"Yes, I do, thank you Severus. Thirty years ago Druella Black asked me to perform a spell on her daughters to send them into the future. Which I then did." Dumbledore explained, shortly.

Professor McGonagal and Professor Snape stared at Dumbledore as if he was mad.

"And the Black girls will arrive shortly in my office. Luckily the school year is only a few weeks young. I'm sure they will catch up without much effort." Dumbledore continued as if nothing was wrong. "I expect the school to be shocked about their reappearances - the students will pay them a great deal of attention. Word will spread to the media and the public would want to hear from them. And I don't think it will be wise to let journalists like Rita Skeeter - just to use a rather impolite example - hassle them."

Professor Snape nodded and Professor McGonagall only stared at the headmaster.

"So are you telling us that you were well aware where the Black girls were for three decades?" Professor Snape asked Dumbledore coldly.

"Yes. They were in the future. Well, will be in the future shortly… Will be _here_ shortly?" Dumbledore amusingly rephrased his words as he gave the clock on his wall a fleeting glance. "And I gave my word to Druella Black not to speak of it."

"The Slytherin's were quite upset about their disappearances." Professor Snape remembered thoughtfully.

"Many wrote fictional books, made up myths... They were even given a funeral!" Minerva stated disapprovingly, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"And what a beautiful service it was." Dumbledore chuckled.

"Albus!" Minerva retorted in shock at Dumbledore's lack of tact.

"Many suspected the Dark Lord to be behind it." Professor Snape added. "Many thought that it was one of the most heartless murders he ever committed - killing the daughters of Druella Black on the day that she was buried... And rumours amplified about the Dark Lord's involvement when Cygnus Black was found dead in the Black Manor days after their disappearances."

"Voldemort is a factor to consider, but is not solely to be blamed for this. He is, however, responsible for Cygnus' death." Dumbledore explained.

"But it can't have been _an ordinary_ spell to cause this, surely there is _some_ dark magic involved. Druella Black was renowned for being extremely skilled with the dark arts. How do you know that the Black girls will not be suffering from side-effects when they arrive in our time?" Professor Snape asked in his trademark aloof voice.

"It isn't an ordinary spell, no… But, I assure you Severus, that it is also not a dark spell. And, ah." Dumbledore eyed the clock on his wall again. "I believe they will be arriving any second now." Dumbledore stood from his chair, and trained his eyes on a spot near the fireplace in his office. Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall followed his gaze with anticipation. For a few seconds nothing out of the ordinary occurred.

"Well _, that_ was dramatic." Professor Snape observed dryly, after a while.

Professor McGonagall looked worriedly at Dumbledore. "Could something have happened to them?"

"Calm yourselves, dear colleagues. Travelling three decades must take a few minutes at most." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and Professor Snape rolled his eyes.

And then suddenly - three girls appeared in the headmaster's office. The tallest, Bellatrix Black, stood with her wand raised, looking furious. Andromeda was holding both her hands before her eyes and Narcissa stared wide-eyed at Professor Dumbledore.

The headmaster smiled broadly at the trio.

"Welcome girls, to the year 1997!" Dumbledore greeted jolly.

Bellatrix eyed him with a confused expression.

"Excuse me?" Bellatrix asked in a low voice.

"You travelled in time, Bellatrix. You all did." Dumbledore explained, and by the looks of it not well enough - since the sister's eyed him with suspicion and were yet to move.

"Care to elaborate, Professor?" Bellatrix asked sarcastically.

"Does the Rosier's spell sound familiar to you, Bellatrix?"

Bellatrix silently stared at professor Dumbledore for a while, and shook her head disbelievingly.

"Mother would never…" Bellatrix defended their situation, but stopped when she saw Dumbledore smiling broadly at them.

"Oh yes she did." Dumbledore chuckled.

"What does this mean?!" Bellatrix furiously screamed, causing everybody in the room to jump.

"It means that you travelled forward in time - you travelled thirty decades forward." Dumbledore answered as calmly as ever - and with a lazy flick of his wand conjured three chairs next to Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape.

"Please take a seat, ladies." Dumbledore beckoned to the chairs and Narcissa and Andromeda bewilderedly made their ways towards the chairs. Bellatrix, however, didn't move an inch.

"I don't accept this, Professor Dumbledore. Send us back _immediately -_ there must be a way to reverse the spell. I knew my mother was up to something before her death, but _this_ …" Bellatrix was at lost for words.

"I can't send you back." Dumbledore responded, with a small smile.

"What do you mean you _can't_?!" Bellatrix screamed. Her composure still remained surprisingly tall and calm despite her panicked reaction.

"I'm sure you know why, Bellatrix?" Dumbledore inquired carefully.

"Yes." Bellatrix responded after a while again. "It means we are stuck here for one year!" Bellatrix dramatically kicked the carpet.

"No!" Andromeda exclaimed desperately as well. "What about Tonks?"

"What about him?" Bellatrix responded harshly. "He's a _mudblood._ _That_ is probably why we were sent by mother. Now _we all_ pay for _your_ sins, Andromeda, and…"

"Bellatrix!" Dumbledore loudly warned the witch. "This is not about your sister's interest in Tonks. And please don't use that foul word in my presence."

"Then what is it about?" Bellatrix ran a hand through her long black hair and shook her head. "The Rosier's spell can only be exercised when family members are about to make wrong decisions with their life. And I can't imagine anything more wrong than to fall in love with a mud..."

"Bellatrix." Dumbledore warned soflty.

"A _muggleborn_ then!" Bellatrix spat, furiously.

Andromeda softly began to cry, and Narcissa patted her sister reassuringly on her back.

"What happened to Tonks?" Andromeda asked in between sobs.

"He's married with four children." Professor Snape answered, smirking and Professor McGonagall gave him a defeated glare when Andromeda started to cry uncontrollably.

"Now now, Andromeda. Don't cry. Here, have a tissue." Professor McGonagall comforted the witch.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes at her sister and her eyes glazed over to Professor Snape. "And who, may I ask, are you?"

"I am Professor Severus Snape." Professor Snape answered with an air of authority, emphasizing the 'Professor' part subtly.

" _What_? You're _Snape_?" Bellatrix pointed to Narcissa. "He's in your year!"

Narcissa nodded and observed Professor Snape with interest, only to burst out in giggles eventually.

"Time hasn't treated you well, Snape." Bellatrix barked a laugh at her previous housemate and Snape's lip curled dangerously.

"Take a seat, Bellatrix." Dumbledore ordered, and just as Bellatrix was about to retort something foolish again, he lifted his hand to silence her. "I will explain everything that you need to know, Miss Black. I can only imagine what a shock this must be for you – for all of you." Dumbledore kindly spoke.

Bellatrix led out a loud sigh of defeat and slowly made her way to the last open seat next to Narcissa's.

"Your mother came to me three days before her death." Dumbledore began.

"That's only seven days ago. She told me that she were going Gringott's… I'm an _idiot_!" Bellatrix spoke more to herself than to anybody else in the room.

"She asked me to perform the Rosier's spell on all of you, since a prophecy of some kind appeared to her and revealed to her your futures. Your mother was distressed with what she saw…"

"What did she see?" Bellatrix demanded, and Andromeda and Narcissa curiously lifted their heads in anticipation as well.

"A future you will – or will not see - after 12 full moons." Dumbledore answered, not giving away anything.

"But what _do_ you know?" Bellatrix impatiently asked. "Surely my mother must have given you more than enough reason to cast the spell. And my mother was too weak…" Bellatrix stopped, and lifted her chin. "You performed the spell on us, didn't you? Our aunt Black and our cousins Sirius and Regulus were the last to leave the Black Manor after my mother's funeral, and while we were all sitting in the living room we were suddenly pulled away by a light with strong force..." Bellatrix spoke, her eyes widened at the memory.

"I did cast the spell. Your mother entrusted me to perform it." Dumbledore confirmed.

"And why might that be? She wasn't very fond of you… Why did she trust _you_ to cast it?" Bellatrix wondered aloud, rudely.

"I'm not sure, Bellatrix. But rest assured - she came to the correct wizard to do it." Dumbledore's eyes blinked when Bellatrix gave him an unconvincing glare.

"But why do it in the first place?!" Bellatrix angrily asked the headmaster again.

"I hate to state the obvious," Professor Snape interrupted, "but maybe it is because your futures turned out to be... _bleak?_ " Professor Snape answered for Dumbledore, and his eyes coldly flickered over to Bellatrix.

"Oh shut it, _Snape_. I still recall saving your arse from a few Gryffindor's last year. Or don't tell me - has James Potter since become your _best_ friend?" Bellatrix laughed cruelly at Snape.

"Bellatrix." Dumbledore firmly reprimanded the dark haired witch. "Stop with the taunting - or you will begin your time at Hogwarts with detention." Dumbledore warned.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes at the warning but remained silent.

"I'm interested, Bellatrix." Dumbledore began, patiently, but stopped.

"In what?" Bellatrix answered flatly.

"What is your relation with Lord Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked. Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, but the headmaster ignored them.

To the surprise of everybody in the room, Andromeda spoke up.

"She's _in love_ with him! And mother _hated_ him!" Andromeda accused Bellatrix. The older Black sister gave her middle sister a killing stare before returning her attention back to Dumbledore.

"Whatever do you mean, Headmaster?" Bellatrix answered, in a false innocent tone.

"Voldemort…"

"Don't say his name!" Bellatrix irritably uttered.

"You-Know-Who was defeated 15 years ago…"

"How?" Bellatrix disbelievingly chuckled.

"By a baby boy, known as Harry Potter."

Bellatrix laughed hysterically. " _Nice_ _try_ , Professor Dumbledore _. Imagine_ that? The Dark Lord defeated by a _baby_ …" Bellatrix laughed again. "How was he _really_ defeated, Professor?"

"By Harry Potter, a one year old boy at the time. You-Know-Who's killing curse got deflected."

"Seems as if he wasn't as powerful as you made him out to be, Bella." Andromeda commented smugly.

"Is this the truth?!" Bellatrix gasped in panic, ignoring Andromeda. " _It's impossible_!"

"It was an unlikely downfall, but alas…" Dumbledore lifted his one hand, "he was defeated."

"But he will return! _I_ _know_ him – he taught me!" Bellatrix defended her old master proudly. "He taught me magic that nobody in this school has ever dreamt of!"

"And still, he was defeated. But, you are unfortunately right, Miss Black." Dumbledore spoke.

"He returned, didn't he?" Bellatrix's eyes glistened with hope, to the surprise of the Professor's in the room and to the annoyance of her two sisters.

"Sadly, yes. Recently." Dumbledore confirmed.

"I knew he would." Bellatrix responded in awe, and she visibly relaxed for the first time since she arrived in Dumbledore's office.

"But, you'd be a fool, Bellatrix, to ever openly acknowledge your leniency to him. You-Know-Who caused many deaths – many students in Hogwarts grew up without parents and family members because of his actions."

" _I_ could have protected him..." Bellatrix spoke determinedly, ignoring the tragedies that Voldemort caused. "If only I was there, but Mother had the nerve to…"

"Save you from _what_ you would've been..." Dumbledore finished Bellatrix's sentence with a happy smile.

"She had no right!" Bellatrix fought. "And she can't answer for her actions because she's now conveniently _dead_." Bellatrix heartlessly ended her sentence.

"Bella, don't speak like that about Mommy." Narcissa defended their mother. "We just attended her funeral." Narcissa softly began to cry, and this time it was Andromeda's turn to comfort her sister.

"Yes, Mother only wanted to protect _you_ , it seems. You were always her favourite." Andromeda accused Bellatrix.

"Andy, time traveling has made you rather lippy. I suggest you shut your cake hole before I curse it shut for you." Bellatrix warned her sister.

"Girls. Let's stop the bickering." Professor McGonagall intervened, annoyed. "Before I curse both your cake holes shut." Narcissa, despite crying earlier, giggled. Both Bellatrix and Professor McGonagall gave the youngest Black a strict gaze which effectively silenced her.

"And what are we supposed to do now?" Bellatrix asked Dumbledore.

"You will not complete your final year, but your _sixth_ year, at Hogwarts."

"That's _blasphemy_ …" Bellatrix began to argue heatedly again.

"Thirty years have passed, Bellatrix. The school's syllabus is not the same anymore. New discoveries in the magical world have led to better textbooks, different spells, altered potions…"

"I could catch up. I'm the brightest witch of my age." Bellatrix argued proudly.

"I don't doubt your abilities, Bellatrix. But, I thought it would have been too much on your plates considering your losses - and the slight hindrance of traveling thirty years." Dumbledore explained apologetically.

"At least I can return to my time and forget that this nonsense ever occurred." Bellatrix spoke sadly to nobody in particular.

"Andromeda, you are to redo your fifth year, and Narcissa, you will redo your second year." Dumbledore addressed the other Black girls.

"What happened to our father? Where is he?" Bellatrix abruptly asked the headmaster.

"He was tortured and killed by You-Know-Who." Dumbledore carefully answered.

"What?!" Andromeda and Narcissa exclaimed together. "So we lost our mother _and_ our father?" Andromeda concluded with a heart-breaking sob.

"I'm sorry." Dumbledore confirmed.

"But why?" Bellatrix asked. "Father never had a problem with him?"

"Turns out, You-Know-Who was quite upset by your departures and wanted information."

"And our _dearest_ mother never informed Father of her plan, did she?" Bellatrix asked as bitter tears started to form in her eyes.

"It appears that she didn't, no." Dumbledore ever the diplomat, answered.

"Where will we go during the holidays?" Bellatrix asked.

"To the Black Manor, or you are all welcome to stay in Hogwarts, naturally." Dumbledore spoke. "Which reminds me, Quenzi, your old house-elf is currently employed here at Hogwarts but will return to the Black Manor if it is your wish."

"Quenzi?" Bellatrix spoke loudly, and with a loud 'crack' Quenzi appeared in the office.

"Quenzi!" Bellatrix exclaimed. "Thank god you're here." Bellatrix smiled, wiping the tears from her eyes impatiently.

"Miss Black!" Quenzi shouted, and immediately fell to the floor in joyful tears. "Quenzi thought… Quenzi thought that she will never she Miss Black again."

"Hello Quenzi!" Narcissa greeted the elf, which only resulted in a higher squeal. "Miss Cissy!" Quenzi wailed uncontrollably when she saw Andromeda waving at her as well.

"You seem _awfully_ happy to see us, Quenzi. I trust that Hogwarts treated you well?" Bellatrix eyed the headmaster with distrust, before returning her gaze to Quenzi.

"Yes. Master Dumbledore has been very good to Quenzi. And Quenzi has _friends_ here. But Quenzi wishes to serve you, Miss Black. And the other Miss Black's." Quenzi bowed deeply, tears were still streaming over her cheeks.

"Return to the Black Manor, Quenzi. And prepare it for our return. I can only imagine the state it's in after thirty years…" Bellatrix loudly thought. "And I'm happy to see you again – we all are." Bellatrix kindly spoke to the house-elf, and with a loud cry the house-elf disapparated to the Black Manor.

"And now that Quenzie has returned to her post - I wish to warn you three girls."

"About what?" Bellatrix asked Dumbledore, clearly not in the mood for more surprises.

"Wizards and witches have speculated about your disappearances for three decades. Don't be surprised if all the attention in the school will be diverted to you for a few weeks. Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape will keep the media at bay – and you do not need to answer to any journalist or curious student if you don't wish to. And if you are pestered by anybody, please inform Professor McGonagall – our now Deputy Headmistress, or your Head of House, Professor Snape." Dumbledore assured.

"I'm sure we could handle a bit of attention, Professor. We were quite popular in our own time as well, afterall, we are the Black sisters." Bellatrix informed the headmaster, unaware of her own arrogance.

"This will be a bit different... You disappearances caused quite the uproar in the wizarding world."

Bellatrix merely stared at the headmaster and didn't reply.

"Albus, I think it's time for the three girls to go to bed. I think they had a long day." Professor McGonagall addressed Dumbledore.

"Yes we did." Bellatrix agreed. "We buried our mother – we just learned that our father is dead, and the icing on the cake is that it all occurred thirty years ago. _Who wouldn't_ want to be us?" Bellatrix sarcastically spoke while walking out of Dumbledore's office, following Professor Snape. She waited for Andromeda and Narcissa at the door before she exited the office, without gracing the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall a second glance.

"Bellatrix is a disturbed witch, Albus. I think she might even be mad enough to go search for You-Know-Who!" Professor McGonagall worriedly spoke to Dumbledore.

"We ought to give her time, Minerva. Let her digest everything that has occurred." Dumbledore thoughtfully spoke.

"Have you heard her tonight, Albus? And what if You-Know-Who seeks her out again? Does she realise in what dangerous position she's in?"

"I think there is still hope. And the Order will protect her, naturally."

Professor McGonagall nodded worriedly and began to make her way out of Dumbledore's office as well.

"She reminds me of her mother." Dumbledore absentmindedly spoke again, and the Deputy Headmistress didn't ask Dumbledore to elaborate before bidding the headmaster goodnight.


	3. Chapter 3

Breakfast at the Gryffindor table.

Hermoine scribbled absentmindedly on the parchment in front of her – her breakfast long-forgotten.

"Mione- yogonaetthat?" Ron asked with a mouth full of food. He swallowed and repeated his question when Hermione gave him a disapproving scowl. "Are you gonna eat that?" Ron pointed to the forgotten pumpkin pastry on Hermoine's plate, and she shook her head distractedly.

"No, you can eat it." Hermione sighed.

"Why is the Slytherin table so loud this morning?" Harry asked, looking irritated. "It's as they won the quidditch cup or something."

Hermione peaked behind her shoulder, and saw that Harry was right. The Slytherin's were murmuring and laughed happily amongst each other.

"Don't know. Don't care." Hermione tried to divert her attention back to her potion's report, even though the noises from the Slytherin table were hindering her as well.

"What's up, Hermione? Are you still stressing about the Herbology paper? Because that's only due for next week Tuesday." Ron tried to cheer her up.

"No, I handed the paper in this morning." Hermione answered, irritably.

"Then why do you look as if you just failed a very important exam?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Because…" Hermione began. "What do you guys know about the Black sisters?" Hermione asked her two best friends curiously.

Harry shook his head, but Ron nodded excitedly.

"Don't you guys _know_?" Ron questioned Harry and Hermione as if they were trolls.

"If I knew I wouldn't have asked, Ron." Hermione responded heatedly.

"I, yeah… I just can't believe you don't know that's all…" Ron explained, slightly hurt by Hermione's comment.

"We were raised by muggles." Hermione reminded him with irritation. How could anyone forget? Pansy called her a mudblood every chance she got –she was probably the most famous 'mudblood' in the school due to her taunting, Hermione thought bitterly.

"Tell us what you know." Harry tactfully steered the conversation back to calm waters.

"The Black sisters disappeared a lot of years ago on the day of their mother's funeral." Ron began, but Harry interrupted.

"How many sister's were there?"

"Three. Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa Black."

"And they just...disappeared?" Hermione skeptically asked.

"Yeah, _nobody_ knows what happened. It was _big_ news back in my mother's time. But she never really speaks about the Black witches – Dad says it's because my Mom didn't get on with the oldest Black sister back when she attended Hogwarts."

"Your mother knew the oldest sister?" Hermione asked, interested.

"Yeah, Mom hated her. I don't really know why, though." Ron rubbed his head before adding, "Sort of like you and Pansy…" Hermione nodded, she understood - obviously.

"And Ginny used to listen to a radio program called, 'The Blacks are Back'." Ron went on explaining. "It featured the Black sisters as fictional characters that left earth to fight crime on another planet – which explained their sudden disappearances…"

Harry and Hermione laughed. It sounded like a show muggles would watch on television.

"And the Unicorn Strings, Fred and George's favourite rock band, devoted a song to Bellatrix Black - because she was, like, _really_ pretty." Ron shrugged dreamily. "It's titled 'The Bitch is a Black' – which is quite crude, yeah, but it's still cool song." Ron ended as if everything he just said was pretty much general knowledge.

"Are they not related to Sirius?" Harry asked curiously. "If their surname is 'Black' – how many wizarding families have the surname Black?"

"Has he ever mentioned them to you?" Hermione asked.

"No. He doesn't really like to speak about his family. And to avoid tension I just never ask him about them." Harry explained.

"How's Sirius enjoying his new found freedom?" Ron asked, taking a big swig of pumpkin juice.

"He loves it. He is currently in Tanzania and will travel to Egypt shortly. He will be back for Christmas. And during the holidays he wants to take us to a quidditch match between The Hixi Pokos and The Tiger Wands…"

"No way!" Ron happily exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's going to be awesome." Harry smiled at Ron and Hermione.

"It still sucks that Dumbledore told you that you couldn't stay with Sirius last summer." Ron looked disapprovingly at the teacher's table where Dumbledore was talking to Professor Flitwick.

"Yeah…" Harry scowled. "But I only need to return there _once_ more…"

"Guys, I need to tell you something." Hermione began, as if she didn't hear a word Harry and Ron just spoke about Harry's beloved godfather. Harry and Ron leant forward to hear what Hermione was about to say.

"I think the Black sisters are in Hogwarts. I overheard Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout speaking about them in the Herbology classroom when I went to hand in my paper this morning. I didn't _mean_ to eavesdrop, but they were whispering and I got curious. I heard Professor McGonagall say something in the lines of, 'the Black girls were so shocked', and Professor Sprout replied that 'all the teachers should try their best to help them' – but maybe I'm…"

Hermione stopped when Ron laughed noisily in disbelief. "Blimey, Hermione. Are you _sure_ you're okay? The Black girls are probably dead or something." Ron added disinterested.

"Maybe they were speaking about other witches?" Harry offered, trying to be helpful - and grimaced when he heard the Slytherin table across the hall cheer about something gleefully. "Seriously?" Harry looked up to watch the Slytherin's yet again, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary and returned to eating his scrambled eggs rather angrily.

"Maybe..." Hermione agreed with Harry after a while, unconvincingly. "But Professor McGonagall caught me listening to their conversation and gave me detention. If it wasn't something serious, she wouldn't have given me detention, would she?" Hermione argued, looking upset.

"So you're upset because you got detention?" Ron asked.

"No… Well, yes." Hermione answered. Professor McGonagall was her favourite teacher, and she felt disappointed that their Head of House gave her detention.

"Well, it is quite odd that Professor McGonagall gave _you_ detention for something so stupid like that." Harry agreed. "I've done worse and she only deducted points."

Just as Hermione wanted to respond, Seamus Finnegan loudly interrupted everybody within earshot at the Gryffindor table.

"Who's _that_?" Seamus gasped loudly.

"I don't know, but they're hot!" Dean Thomas joked, and he very quickly diverted his gaze when Ginny slapped his arm irritably. "Not as beautiful as you, though, pumpkin." Dean quickly corrected his mistake making Ginny laugh - and Hermione chuckled knowingly when she saw Harry rolling his eyes at the couple.

"They _are_ hot." Colin Creevey agreed and Hermione turned her body in curiosity to get a look at who they were all referring to.

"They must be new." Harry observed. "I've never seen them in Hogwarts before. Hermione, do you think…?"

"It's the Black witches?" Hermione ended his question, and she turned her back excitedly to get a look at the witches as well, and felt disappointed when she couldn't really see them well enough from her position at the Gryffindor table.

"It _can't_ be though." Ron rolled his eyes, but when he also eventually turned to see what the commotions were about he let out a loud gasp.

Other students noticed the Black witches too.

"It's the Blacks!" A Ravenclaw third year shouted loudly and pointed at the three witches, and hisses and whispers began to travel through hall like a fire. It reminded Hermione of the night Harry was elected to participate in the TriWizard Tournament. Everybody was simply flabbergasted. Some students were standing on their chairs to get a better look at them, and she heard people mutter the names of the witches as they identified one for one excitedly.

"No, _that's_ Andromeda!" Lavendor argued with Parvati.

"It's Bellatrix…"

"No, Andromeda has a fuller face. And ah…" Parvati cooed. "Look how _cute_ Cissy is! They look _just_ like their pictures…"

Hermione impatiently turned herself again to get a glimpse of the witches, and couldn't help but agree with all the hype. The witches _were_ all very beautiful. The taller witch, especially, Hermione thought silently.

She had long dark hair and heavily lidded eyes. Her cheekbones were highly set and her lips looked red against her very pale skin. She walked towards the Slytherin table with a ton of confidence – in short – she approached the Slytherin table as if it belonged to her. She didn't even seem bothered by all the attention they were receiving. Hermione admired that, thinking that she would be fleeing the hall if it was her…

"Hermione! Close your mouth before you catch flies." Harry jokingly waved a hand before her eyes.

Blushing, Hermione reluctantly looked away and Harry laughed loudly at her embarrassment. "You're not the only one who's staring, don't worry." He pointed to Ron who along with the Creevey brothers was half raised from their chairs to get a better look.

Harry pulled Ron down into his seat, and Ron blushed a deep shade of red.

"Wow! You were right, Hermione. They have returned." Ron tried peek again at the witches, and Harry laughed loudly at Ron as well.

"Yeah, I told you so." Hermione tried to look smug, but felt a bit embarrassed for eye-goggling the oldest Black sister.

Hemione couldn't help but self-consciously draw her hand through her hair – maybe she should do something better with it? Parvati and Lavendor suggested different hairstyles, to which Hermione always rolled her eyes at, and maybe she ought to listen to them?

"…they haven't aged a day from the looks of it." Ron told them with wide-eyes.

"It is strange…" Hermione agreed, thoughtfully. "It's as if they travelled in time."

"The youngest witch looks as if she's crying." Harry observed, who had a much better view of the Slytherin table. "Ah, look, one of the sisters is walking out with her…"

Hermione watched the small blonde girl sob as the Black sister with the shorter black hair escorted her out of the hall.

"I know how she feels." Harry grimly observed, and shuddered as he probably thought about all the attention that he has so far received in his life, and Hermione nodded understandingly.

"Yes, all this attention must be horrible." Hermione agreed, and Ron nodded in agreement rather unconvincingly.

"The other sister doesn't look too bothered though." Harry again observed.

Ron and Hermione turned around again to see what Harry was referring to. Hermione caught herself staring again at the witch high cheekbones and the red lips… Hermione scolded herself silently for focusing on the witch's appearance again, and focused her attention rather on what the witch was doing. The Slytherin witch was dominating the conversation easily at the table, and she looked rather bored with her company. She lazily took a swig from her tea and didn't even raise an eyebrow at Marcus Flint who almost fell out of his chair to get her attention. Pansy, however, was sitting with a rather glum expression on her face beside Crabbe. For once the attention wasn't directed at her, Hermione realised gleefully.

"That's Bellatrix." Ron's voice brought Hermione back to reality. "She is the oldest. I wonder if she will be in our year?" Ron added hopefully, and Hermione couldn't help but feel slightly hopeful too.

"Well, one thing is for sure. Pansy is no longer the Slytherin queen…" Hermione smirked at her best friends, who nodded in agreement. They knew too well how much Hermione detested Pansy, probably almost as much as they detested Crabbe and Goyle.

"Yeah, _nobody_ can be worse than Pansy…" Ron agreed with a dark expression on his face.

"I think I'm going to write Sirius about them tonight. Maybe they are distantly related or something." Harry suggested.

"Yes, I think it's a good idea. I suppose he would want to hear about them if they were related." Hermione agreed.

"Too bad he is in Tanzania. I'll wait ages for him to respond to me..." Harry said gloomily.

"At least this explains why the Slytherin table was so loud this morning." Ron added.

"We will hopefully quiet them down on Thursday when we win our quidditch match against them. Say Ron, do you think we should all practice tomorrow morning before class too? I'd hate for Snape to get the satisfaction…" Harry and Ron, to Hermione's dismay, continued talking about quidditch until they all finished their breakfasts.

Hermione, Harry and Ron eventually walked out of the Great Hall and Hermione tried her best not to look at the Slytherin table as they did. But, she couldn't contain herself. She had an eerie feeling that somebody was watching them as they walked out of the hall, and when she gathered the courage to take another glimpse at the witch called Bellatrix, Hermione almost yelped in surprise. Bellatrix was staring at the three of them with an intense gaze. Or rather, Hermione realised with disappoinment, saw that she was staring at Harry.

x

x

x

And that's that! There is no Draco Malfoy :( Aahh...

If you have any thoughts about this - you're welcome to share it. Until the next chapter then..


	4. Chapter 4

Bellatrix lazily drew smoke circles from her wand while waiting for Professor McGonagall to begin with her class – knowing full well how much the Professor hated it. Curiously though, the Professor did not scold her for it like she always did.

And this was the pattern of the day so far.

No matter _what_ she did or _how_ much she taunted the professors in classes, they remained irritatingly accommodating – they were almost _sympathetic_ towards her.

And Bellatrix couldn't stand it. The false pretences. The curious glances. The Hufflepuff's smiling at her. It was _exhausting_.

The teachers in _her_ time used to either hate or were afraid of her – or both. Students used to be wary of her - they certainly didn't greet her like some _fallen_ hero like they know make her and her sisters out to be. Everything was backward, and with reluctance she realised that Dumbledore was right - she never anticipated this 'return'.

Narcissa dealt with it the worst. She cried during breakfast when so many students erupted in gasps and whispers when they entered the Great Hall. And a crying Cissy was something she wasn't really used to seeing. Her youngest sister was a cunning little witch, and a proud Black. Crying before those that were inferior to you was something Bellatrix knew her sister would never have done back in their time. And Andromeda _still_ wasn't talking to her – she blamed her involvement with the Dark Lord for all of this, but Bellatrix still believed that her relationship with the mudblood, Ted Tonks, was the sole reason her mother decided to _curse_ them with the Rosier's spell.

She did feel _a bit_ sorry for Andy. Her sister asked the Slytherin's this morning whether they knew Ted Tonk's – and they thought that she was referring to a first year Ravenclaw student, Ted Tonk's junior. He was Ted Tonk's first born son. His oldest daughter, Marcia, was a third year Ravenclaw student. It must be bad to realise that the person you thought would love you forever moved on and found happiness with another witch. It was a classic case of 'out of sight, out of mind'... Not that she really _could_ understand – she has never been in love before and normally scoffed at the mere thought. Her mother frequently introduced her to purebloods her age, but she just never felt a connection with any of them. She played around with them, sure, but none of them ever affected her. She forgot about them as soon as she got bored with them. When they pestered her with sulky love letters, she returned hexed letters. Her mother never approved of that, since she was left to explain to the other mother's why her daughter hexed their _beloved_ children with pustule, hair removal, uncontrollable laughter or diarrhoea curses.

The thoughts of her mother depressed Bellatrix. Yes, she was _furious_ with her for letting Dumbledore cast the Rosier's spell on them, but she still missed her. Her mother formed the spine of their family, and her father never really paid her or Cissy a great deal of attention. He only had time for Andromeda. Her mother was the one she usually spoke to for hours about magic, history and books – and when she first arrived at Hogwarts she used to send her mother a letter daily to tell her how much she missed her and her two sisters. Bellatrix remembered with sadness the pain her mother was in at the end of her life – she could barely cast a "lumos" spell without gasping in pain. Her mother solely depended on Quenzi for the most basic of tasks. But her mother was not always so weak, no. She knew more about magic than anybody she ever met, including the teachers at Hogwarts - until she met the Dark Lord.

She was excited, _elated_ , that the Dark Lord tried to approach her at the Blacks' annual Christmas party. Not that she was surprised, she had known for a time that he was… interested. She heard rumours about his capabilities and she was eager to meet him as well to see for herself what the fuss was about. Her mother was not too fond of him, but eventually – and to her surprise – her mother gave permission for him to tutor her. Or so the Dark Lord informed her, because her mother refused to speak about him in the manor – and prohibited her and her sisters to mention him in conversations.

Her permission, however, was irrelevant. Bellatrix wanted to make her own decisions and didn't need her mother to make them for her. She didn't want to stay within a manor and look after children like her mother had done - she wanted choices. Her mother was one of the most powerful witches of her time – and she wasted her abilities by conforming to the 'pureblood housewife' rule.

When she met the Dark Lord Bellatrix knew that she had found her way out of the things that she knew her mother expected her to become. The Dark Lord was compassionate and understanding. He was the first one to realise her frustrations and he welcomed her thirst for knowledge. He didn't want her magic to go wasted, no. Magic was might, he said. And she agreed. How couldn't she? He conjured spells that Bellatrix didn't even dare to dream of... Everything about him was intriguing and spectacular. There were no restrictions. He was the first teacher she ever respected, because he understood her. Before she met him teachers only praised her abilities – he was the first to teach her to go _beyond_ it. The Dark Lord wanted her to be more, and more importantly, he made her _believe_ that she could be.

She wasn't _in love_ with him, like Andromeda so happily shared with Professor Dumbledore the night before. She was in _awe_ of him – infatuated with his persona and presence and with his knowledge about magic... The Dark Lord perished but rose again, and that was proof within itself of what he is capable of doing.

And she knows that the Dark Lord will search for her again. Word will spread and the Dark Lord will come and save her from this mess. But it isn't going to be easy. Dumbledore, she thinks, suspects that she wants to become one of his followers during _this_ time as well – even if it is just for a year. Dumbledore will restrict her from making contact with him by keeping his weird blue eyes on her at all times. Therefore she depended and expected on the Dark Lord to sought her out again - just as he did so many years before.

Until then, she was stuck at Hogwarts. And she didn't mind it _so_ much; it was the only place that still felt familiar to her. The school hadn't changed at all. She usually pretended to hate school - and she did hate the limitations teachers set on her magical abilities, but Hogwarts was the place where she found her footsteps – her rightful place as a witch. She excelled in all her classes and she skilfully crafted her reputation as not only the _most_ gifted witch of her age, but also the most _feared_. Now she had to start over and…

"Miss Black!" Professor McGonagall stood before her desk looking unpleased.

"Yes, Professor?" Bellatrix answered. She didn't even realise that Professor McGonagall began her lesson. How this old hag was still alive was beyond her…

"Have you listened to one word I've said so far?"

"No, Professor." Bellatrix answered, unaffected. The Slytherin's giggled at her retort and the Gryffindor's looked a bit shocked. They were probably not used to someone disrespecting Professor McGonagall…

"And why not?"

"Because I already know how to turn rock into iron." Bellatrix answered with a bored voice. "I must say, contrary to what Professor Dumbledore have said, the syllabus hasn't changed a great deal."

"If you paid attention to what I have been saying during this class, you would have realised that this _is_ , indeed, a new spell. The spell previously used was…"

"Aroccia carsitica." Bellatrix ended the sentence, and Professor McGonagall nodded.

"Yes, and that is a spell only effective when the rock's temperature is below 10 degrees Celcius." Professor McGonagall remembered. "This spell, Veristicoma Allistici," Professor McGonagall pointed to the black board on which the spell was written, "can turn rock into iron irrespective of the rock's temperature."

"Interesting." Bellatrix responded with disinterest. Some of the Slytherin's laughed loudly this time at her impassiveness – Pansy giggled the loudest, and Professor McGonagall's seemed to have a hard time trying to compose herself. She looked furious. And Bellatrix almost smiled at the familiar sight.

"Very well, Miss Black. Could you please then illustrate to the class how to turn rock into iron with the _new_ spell?" Professor McGonagall asked with authority.

"Certainly, Professor. 'Veristicoma Allistici'." Bellatrix uttered the new spell and lazily flicked her wand. A perfect iron block appeared where the rock had previously been. She smirked smugly when impressed gasps traveled through the class at her faultless attempt.

Professor McGonagall inspected the iron block, and nodded. "This is perfect, Miss Black. But I'd _rather_ you pay attention than to daydream your day away in my class. Fifteen points to Slytherin for your effort."

"What a _statement_ , Bella." Pansy Parkinson praised her, as soon as Professor McGonagall continued class. "Not even the _mudblood_ could do it on her first try." Pansy pointed to the Gryffindor girl sitting next to Harry Potter and giggled happily. "But I wouldn't want to get on Professor McGonagall's bad side, she is…"

"I _know_ McGonagall." Bellatrix interrupted Pansy coldly. "She taught me in my time too."

"Oh?" Pansy looked surprised. "I sometimes forget that you were in this school before…"

"Pansy – listen to me _very_ carefully." Bellatrix warned in a low voice, soft enough for Pansy to hear but not loud enough to draw any attention to her. "N _ever_ forget that I used to pace the hallways of this school because I _ruled_ it - and will again."

"I just thought…" Pansy stuttered unsurely.

"What? That because we're both in Slytherin we'll become _best_ friends?" Bellatrix mocked her in a childish sounding voice. "My my… How _weak_ the Slytherin's have become." Bellatrix added distastefully.

Bellatrix smiled when she saw Pansy stare at her in shock. She knew that Pansy only wanted to be seen with her, the oldest Black, to improve her own status and popularity. But that just wouldn't do. She wasn't about to get used by someone she had no trust in yet and besides, there was no room at the top for Pansy and she had to make that clear.

Not that she _wasn't_ much use to Bellatrix thus far. Pansy had a loose tongue and told her all about Harry Potter and his two best friends. The striking resemblance Harry Potter shared with his father was undeniable – he looked just like an older version of him. She knew little about James Potter – she only knew that he was Sirius' best friend and that they were in Narcissa's year. And Sirius was quite a disgrace to the family because he got himself sorted into Gryffindor. Aunt Walburga moaned about that for months. And then she moaned about Sirius' friendship with a Potter for months – probably for years, because the Potter family was known to be bloodtraiters. According to Pansy, James Potter later married a mudblood. They had a son, Harry Potter…

And it seems as if the _famous_ Harry Potter had a busy life so far at Hogwarts. He opened the Chamber of Secrets in his second year and destroyed the monster Salazar Slytherin placed therein – which surprised Bella, because the Chamber of Secrets only could be opened by a Slytherin. How was it possible that _Potter_ could open it? He also was a contender in the Triwizard Tournament two years ago, only to return from his final challenge with a dead student from Hufflepuff, claiming that the Dark Lord returned. And last year he and his 'army', Bellatrix laughed when she heard that part, since they called it _Dumbledore's Army_ – can somebody say ' _teacher's pet'_? - infiltrated the Ministry of Magic. Merlin knows what occurred there, but after their invasion the Minister of Magic was sacked and the Dark Lord's return was made a fact to all.

But what surprised her most of all was Potter's mediocrity. Potter constantly copied the notes that his pretty little mudblood girlfriend made next to him. Professors asked him questions during the class – they have grown to become quite _interactive_ with the students while lecturing these days, and Potter stuttered out wrong or incomplete answers. Wrong answers that immediately got corrected by his mudblood girlfriend, naturally. How _he_ was able to defeat the Dark Lord is a mystery. It must have been _luck_ , or the Dark Lord must have made a crucial mistake… Things just didn't add up.

Potter's other friend, the Weasley, was even more of an embarrassment – _if_ that was even possible... He resembled the Prewett's twins that used to attend Hogwarts in her time. Molly was always so protective over her brothers… Bellatrix laughed gleefully when she heard how poor old Molly's life turned out. She married Arthur Weasley and she eventually popped out more children than they could afford. It didn't surprise her, neither she nor Weasley were exactly on the clever side… Molly always challenged her to duel when Bellatrix hexed students in hallways at Hogwarts – and she sent the plump ginger witch to the infirmary more times than she could count. Those were the days, Bellatrix sighed longingly.

Potter's girlfriend was the only one that _really_ captured her attention. She was a real little miss know-it-all during classes and she seemed to be an accomplished witch – for a mudblood, that is. She seemed to control Weasley and Potter without realising it herself. Could she be the reason that Potter survived his many encounters with the Dark Lord?

But… perhaps the mudblood was only _book_ clever. Perhaps she wasn't such a great witch as the Professor's made her out to be. Bellatrix rolled her eyes when she thought about how the Gryffindor witch wanted to answer _every_ question the teachers asked them during classes. It was a rather _common_ trait to have – to boast your intelligence so openly for others to see.

Bellatrix wanted to know more about Harry Potter and his crew. After all, his encounters with the Dark Lord only meant that he wanted Potter dead. She could, when they re-unite, give the Dark Lord invaluable information about Potter's inner circle and be rewarded for her efforts. And she assumed, she just had a _feeling_ , that the mudblood was the key to Potter's downfall. She had to somehow befriend the mudblood. It would take effort - because she _never_ associated with anyone but purebloods, but it was something she supposed she had to do...

"Miss Black!" Professor McGonagall's voice boomed over the silent class.

"Yes, Professor?" Bellatrix replied innocently.

"This is the second time that you haven't been paying attention in my class." Professor McGonagall stated. "Surely you do not want to be given detention on your first day back?"

"I've had worse things happen to me." Bellatrix rolled her eyes, and didn't even bother to add 'Professor' as a courtesy this time.

"If that's the case, arrive 9pm – no later – in my office tonight. Miss Granger might enjoy the company." Professor McGonagall added grimly.

The bell eventually sounded, and unlike the other students Bellatrix had no textbooks or stationary to pack away yet – she still had to send an owl to Diagon Alley to order textbooks for her and her sisters. She already received permission from Professor Snape to go to Hogsmeade so that they could buy themselves clothes and everything else that were essential later this afternoon. Andromeda wanted to play for the Slytherin quidditch team again, so they had to go broom searching as well…

Without having to pack away anything, she was first to leave Professor McGonagall's class to meet up with her sisters.

* * *

Lunch

"Did you guys _hear_ her?" Ron asked Harry and Hermione with a shocked voice. "She obviously needs to sort out her priorities. Nobody has _ever_ dared to speak to Professor McGonagall in that tone…"

"Yeah, my grandmother would kill me if I disrespected the teachers like that." Neville piped, he was sitting opposite the trio enjoying his lunch with a peculiar looking pot plant placed before him.

"I don't think I like her much." Harry agreed. "But then again, she is a Slytherin so I don't even know why we are surprised."

"Luckily you guys don't have detention with her tonight like I do." Hermione joined the conversation, but she didn't really look _too_ upset by the thought.

"Yeah, it's the _one_ time you get detention and you get to spend it with a mad witch from the past... She even disrespected Professor Snape in the DADA class."

"And he just let it slide…" Harry shook his head in disbelief.

"She is _very_ talented though. She didn't mess up one spell and were even able to answer all the questions the teachers asked her correctly. She must have been clever in her time – or is clever…" Hermione trailed of thoughtfully.

"Her sister, Andromeda, is actually quite nice." Ginny added from a further end of the table. She too was listening to their conversation with interest. "She was actually really nice to the Gryffindor's during classes. Or nicer compared to the _usual_ treatment Slytherin's give us."

"Yeah, Greengrass cursed me this morning with a Wobbly-Leg jinx. I was late for breakfast and a few younger Slytherin's cornered me…" Neville added, looking ashamed. "But when Andromeda saw how I struggled she muttered the counter-curse. I thanked her and she just nodded absentmindedly, as if she didn't really care that she just helped a Gryffindor."

"It must be quite hard for them to be here, though... And they just attended their mother's funeral – I would be going _mad_ if I were them." Ginny added.

"Yeah, it must be horrible." Harry said. "I wonder how Bellatrix will act tonight during your detention tonight, though. If I were you, Hermione, I would be on high alert."

"What's the worst that could happen? At least McGonagall will be there if she decided to do something." Hermione said. "And I don't think she will…"

"Just because she's mean to Pansy doesn't mean that she will like _you_ any more, Hermione." Ron spoke to Hermione with big eyes. "She spells trouble, that witch."

"Pansy has made my life hell so far, Ron. Anybody that puts her on her place - in my books at least, deserves a chance." Hermione argued.

"Just be careful, that's all." Harry warned. "I don't trust her. I caught her staring at me a few times, and it's not normal stares – it's _deadly_ stares. As if she wants me dead or something."

"Maybe she has a little crush on you." Ginny joked and smiled at Harry.

"I doubt it." Harry answered, blushing slightly at Ginny's comment.

"It is strange that they are _here_ though. Gran always said it was You-Know-Who that killed them… And Gran used to know their mother. I think she was called Drullacia Black or something... Gran always said that it was the only Slytherin she ever bothered to greet. So Gran must have liked her…" Neville recalled, but ended off as if he was speaking to himself.

"Well, I'm going. I still need to complete a Charms essay." Ginny rolled her eyes slightly at the thought and waved at them as she walked off.

"And we need to be going too." Hermione told Harry and Ron. "We have to complete Professor McGonagall's report for tomorrow."

"But we still have the whole afternoon and evening to complete it." Ron complained and let out a lazy yawn.

"I don't. And who will help you two with the report while I'm in detention tonight?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, let's go do it then. Then that's over with." Harry stood up. "What's your plant called, Neville?" Harry asked Neville just when they were about to leave.

"Uh, it's a Compositae plant. It can grow without being watered for decades." Neville excitedly spoke. "Professor Sprout gave it to me when I did well in one of our assignments." Neville blushed.

"That's great Neville." Hermione kindly answered. Herbology was the one subject Neville occasionally beat her in.

They all had a soft spot for Neville – his parents were tortured into insanity by Barty Crouch junior and the LeStrange brothers, and his parents were now confined to a ward in St. Mungo's.

"Yeah, I'll see you guys around." Neville greeted them and continued to eat his lunch by himself, observing his new plant with fondness.

"Now that we are alone… I need to tell you something." Harry whispered to Hermione and Ron as they walked to the Gryffindor tower.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"My lessons with Dumbledore will officially begin tomorrow night. He sent me a message last night with Dobby."

"That's great Harry! Just imagine the kind of magic he will teach you…" Hermione excitedly began speaking, but stopped when she saw how nervous Harry looked.

"Yeah, I'm sort of nervous about it." Harry shrugged.

"Ah, don't worry mate. You'll do fine, Dumbledore really likes you. I wonder if he even knows my name." Ron wondered.

"Sure he does."

Harry, Ron and Hermione continued to speculate about Hermoine's upcoming detention with Bellatrix Black, and about Harry's lesson with Dumbledore until they reached the Gryffindor common room.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione walked slowly to Professor McGonagall's office, wondering why she felt so excited to spend her detention with such a rude and strange witch.

 _Maybe I have a little crush on her._

But Hermione rolled her eyes at the thought. She thought Bellatrix was attractive, and _everyone_ thought she was. She could admire beauty when she saw it, right?

 _She's really clever though. It doesn't even seem as if she's_ trying _to be clever, she is just so natural and confident, a bit of a bitch - sure, but that makes her even more alluring._

"Alluring?" Hermione said the word out loud, laughed. "I'm obviously losing my mind."

"I think you are, Miss. It's bad luck to speak to yourself." A very old man in a portrait told her as she walked past it.

Hermione ignored the portrait and before she knew it, she was standing before Professor McGonagall's office. She knocked a few times until Professor McGonagall's voice told her to enter.

 _Here goes nothing._

"Miss Granger, good evening." Professor McGonagall greeted.

"Good evening, Professor."

"You can start filing those documents in alphabetic order." Professor McGonagall pointed to a huge mountain of documents in the far right corner of her office. "As you can see, Miss Black has already begun."

Hermione watched Bellatrix sorting through files with such ease that it looked as if she did it on a daily bases. She was wearing a brand new tailored Slytherin evening robe, and Hermione thought how unfair it was for anybody to look like a catalogue model at this time of the night. Her hair curly black hair fell effortlessly over her shoulders…

"Uh, Miss Granger. You can start now." Professor McGonagall interrupted Hermione causing her to blush. "Don't worry Miss Granger, I'll keep an eye on her."

Hermione felt relieved that Professor McGonagall interpreted her eye-goggling as 'fear' for the Slytherin witch, and she tried to smile gratefully at the Professor.

"Thank you Professor." Hermione thanked, and walked off to the corner of the Professor McGonagall's spacious office. Bellatrix saw her approaching and she stopped amidst lifting a small pile of files from the ground, and her eyes locked her with Hermione's.

"Hi Bellatrix." Hermione lifted her hand weakly to greet the Slytherin witch, who neither broke eye-contact nor acknowledged her presence. Bellatrix's eyes travelled from Hermione's eyes and slowly over her whole frame, and Hermione looked away awkwardly. Her face felt as if it was on fire.

"Uh, so you already started?" Hermione tried to coax a response out of the witch, after returning to her senses.

"Yes." Bellatrix answered in a low, soft voice. She was still staring at Hermione, and the Gryffindor felt herself getting agitated.

 _What is her problem? Does she like making me feel uncomfortable?_

"Why are you staring?" Hermione asked snappily, and Bellatrix smirked.

"I like staring at things I find interesting." Bellatrix responded smoothly, and she laughed loudly at Hermione's confused expression.

 _What does she mean by that?_

"Girls, this is not a social gathering. Keep quiet and continue with the filing." Professor McGonagall ordered from her desk, and returned to reading The Daily Prophet paged open in front of her with an annoyed expression.

"Yes, Professor." Hermione piped back, and without another glance to Bellatrix she grabbed a hand full of files and began to sort through them nervously.

 _I can do this. Just pretend she isn't here._

They filed the documents into filing cabinets in silence for what felt like hours, and Hermione tiredly took a seat on the carpet with another load of files on her lap. Her ungraceful landing on the carpet provoked a disapproving glance from Bellatrix who still didn't look tired at all.

She glanced at Professor McGonagall, and she smiled slightly when she saw her sleeping soundly in her desk chair.

 _So much for keeping an eye on Bellatrix... But maybe she's tired, after all, having two students in your office after a long day of work is punishment probably for her as well._

"Look." Hermione glanced at Bellatrix. "She's sleeping."

Bellatrix eyed the Professor curiously and then smiled brightly down at her.

 _She has a great smile._

"Good!" Bellatrix whispered. "Now I can get to know you." Bellatrix winked and dropped to the carpet next to her.

"Uh, okay…" Hermione answered unsurely, feeling intimidated by Bellatrix's confident approach and her sudden near presence.

"So…" Bellatrix began, looking at loss for words, so Hermione decided to ask the first question.

''I see you're a Slytherin Prefect?'' Hermione asked, pointing at the Prefect badge on her robe.

''Yes.'' Bellatrix answered, boredly.

"How did you find your first day here?" Hermione asked.

"Fine." Bellatrix answered. A long silence followed her answer and when she didn't elaborate, Hermione decided to ask another question.

"So… Uh… Are things in Hogwarts much more different than it was in your time?" Hermione asked again, hoping to get a _sentence_ response from the Slytherin witch this time.

"No." Bellatrix popped her 'no', and she stared at Hermione sweetly, looking very content with the silence that again followed her response. Hermione on the other hand just got more nervous. The only sound in the office was Professor McGonagall's light snoring and a clock that ticked away on the opposite side of the wall.

"Do you miss your friends and family from your time?" Hermione tried again.

"Yes." Bellatrix responded, smiling mischievously.

 _She looks as if she is enjoying this._

"Can you utter a sentence longer than one word?" Hermione joked, and saw a dangerous flicker in her eyes before the Slytherin suddenly laughed softly.

"Yes." Bellatrix answered, with a slight edge to it.

"It does kind of suck that you got detention on your first day back, doesn't it?" Hermione asked, trying to sound more confident than she truly felt.

"Yes." Bellatrix laughed genuinely this time at the one-worded response she _again_ gave, and curiously watched her as if to see whether she had it in her to ask her another question. Hermione glanced towards Professor McGonagall to see if Bellatrix's laugh woke her up, but the Professor was luckily still sleeping.

"Is the work a lot more different compared to your time?" Hermione asked.

"No." Bellatrix answered, and smirked at Hermione's frustrated expression.

 _I have nothing more to ask her…_

"Uh?" Hermione dumbly stuttered, and she wanted to pinch herself for sounding like a troll before the enigmatic Slytherin witch.

"Yes?" Bellatrix prompted, and she tapped her fingers patiently on a file placed on her lap, waiting for another question.

A few awkward seconds followed, and without knowing what to ask the Black witch again, Hermione did what she always did when she didn't really know what to do. She started to ramble.

"I realised today in our classes that you're really clever. You got all your answers correct even though you only know the theory from older textbooks and you didn't get _one_ spell wrong. And even though you were _a bit_ rude to the Professors…"

Bellatrix lifted a warning eyebrow to Hermione, but the Gryffindor continued,

"You really made an impression. Everybody is talking about you and you're _really_ beautiful – your sisters are also beautiful…"

 _Oh god kill me now..._

''Shut it.'' Bellatrix said, or rather commanded, causing Hermione close her mouth in shock, but only for a small, confused while.

"Sorry, I tend to ramble a bit when I'm nervous and you are not really _responding_ to any of my questions so now I'm just saying anything that's popping into my head…" Hermione ended with a sigh, feeling more exhausted from this exchange than from the hours of filing that they've done so far. She decided to ignore Bellatrix's snap.

"You _are_ an interesting one, aren't you?" Bellatrix observed Hermione curiously, as if it was the first time she really looked at the Gryffindor, and Hermione decided not to comment.

 _Again - 'interesting'? That could mean anything... And please don't mention that I said you are beautiful. Don't mention that I said you are beaut…_

"You think I'm beautiful?" Bellatrix barked a loud laugh.

 _Great. Fifty points to Gryffindor._

She again first checked if McGonagall was still asleep – she was, and then embarrassingly turned her attention back to Bellatrix.

"Well, yes. I'm sure you get that compliment a lot…" Hermione defended her outburst. Her blushing red face was the least of her problems right now.

"I do, yes. People are never so upfront about it like _you_ are though." Bellatrix interrupted with an amused smirk.

"Oh." Hermione felt stupid.

 _Why should I be so clueless with her? I'm usually the one in control and she just makes me a rambling mess._

"Forget what you said." Bellatrix said dismissively.

"Okay, yeah, thanks." Hermione gratefully agreed.

"Forgive me for not cooperating with the questions you asked." Bellatrix apologised with a snobbish edge.

"Sure." Hermione waved it off as if it didn't matter.

"It's just that my whole day so far have been filled with _mundane_ questions such as yours." Bellatrix answered with a grim expression on her face.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry or anything…" Hermione quickly apologised.

"I know. Let's rather focus on _you_ for a while." Bellatrix answered with a smile.

"Me?" Hermione answered unsurely.

 _Why would she possibly be interested in what I have to say?_

"Of course." Bellatrix ensured Hermione as if it was the most natural thing that they could possibly be doing right now.

"I'm really not that interesting, though." Hermione sighed.

 _And to Slytherins I'm just a mudblood, so why would she think anything different about me?_

Bellatrix didn't respond for a while, but then chuckled comfortingly.

"We'll see, I guess…" Bellatrix's eyes flickered over her face again, and Hermione quickly looked away.

"What's your favourite subject?" Bellatrix asked, simply.

 _Why didn't I just ask her something so simple like that?_

"Transfiguration. And Ancient Runes and I guess History of Magic isn't _so_ bad as well. Herbology gets interesting to more you study it, our friend Neville is really good in the subject, and Potions is also one of my favourites, but we never really liked Potions because Snape used to give Potions and he hated Harry…"

"Stop, you're rambling again." Bellatrix sighed, and to her surprise the Slytherin looked slightly annoyed again.

"Sorry…" Hermione offered an apology for the second time that night, not even knowing exactly why she did apologise.

"Let's just say that I like all my subjects." Hermione concluded.

"So Snape was the Potions professor before this year?" Bellatrix inquired curiously. "And he picked on your boyfriend?"

"My boyfriend?" Hermione asked confused.

"Harry Potter?"

"He's _not_ my boyfriend." Hermione denied, laughing at the thought. "I'm single."

"Oh…" Bellatrix answered. "Could have fooled me. One would think he would date his pretty m-… Gryffindor friend." Bellatrix pointed to Hermione confusedly.

"Oh…" Hermione exclaimed, surprised.

 _She thinks I'm pretty?_

"We are not dating." Hermione explained matter-of-factly. "Why, are _you_ interested in Harry?" Hermione asked.

 _Probably, why else would she think that we were dating if she didn't notice him?_

"Of course not." Bellatrix answered, looking almost repulsed by the thought.

 _Well, at least she's not interested in Harry. Not that it matters or anything…_

"And Snape teaches DADA, not potions?" Bellatrix steered the conversation back to the initial topic.

"Surprisingly, yes. We have DADA in our first period tomorrow... And for years Snape was after the position, but Dumbledore never gave him the post. See, no DADA Professor has ever remained in the position for longer than one year." Hermione explained.

"So the position is cursed." Bellatrix concluded easily.

"People _suspect_ it to be, yes."

"Believe me, the position _is_ cursed." Bellatrix responded flatly. "So that means Snape will be doing something else next year. I wonder what?" Bellatrix wondered out loud.

"I don't know." Hermione shrugged. "I won't be sad to see him go, though. He is so biased and only ever awards points to the Slytherin House. And the Slytherin's obviously adore him…"

"Now now, Granger." Bellatrix stopped her with a playful tone. "I am a Slytherin as well and I don't respond kindly to students who talk badly about my house." Bellatrix ended her sentence rather coldly.

Hermione felt a bit taken aback by her warning.

"Gryffindors don't have a lot of reason to like the Slytherins. And you guys probably feel the same way about us. It probably was the same in your time too." Hermione responded reasonably.

"Yes it was. And yes, we _do_ hate the lions." Bellatrix confirmed with a smile, unapologetically. "But that doesn't mean we can't _not_ get along at times, does it?"

"I guess not. You're not as bad as Pansy, I'd give you that." Hermione chuckled slightly.

"Does she give you a hard time?" Bellatrix asked caringly.

"You have no idea…"

 _Maybe I should ask her if she's related to Sirius. I would be relieved to hear that I had family members in a time that I just travelled thirty years to be in…_

"Uh… Is there maybe a slight chance that you are you related to Sirius Black?" Hermione asked, and Bellatrix's head snapped towards hers.

"Yes, he's our cousin." Bellatrix replied, looking uncomfortable for the first time so far this evening.

"He is? Oh god, Harry is going to be so happy to share it with his godfather."

"Excuse me?" Bellatrix asked, looking at Hermione with a bewildered expression.

"Sirius Black is Harry's godfather." Hermione repeated again, but a bit unsurely.

 _Maybe this was not such a good idea…_

" _Harry Potter's_ godfather?" Bellatrix replied incredulously, as if she didn't understand Hermione the first time.

"Uh, yeah… Sirus was in Azkaban for a long time…" Hermione stopped when she the dark expression on Bellatrix's face.

"Don't worry, he was innocent!" Hermione quickly assured Bellatrix. "Many people believed that Sirius betrayed the Potter's family location to You-Know-Who as safekeeper and that he was a Death Eater, but he never did and he never was a Death Eater. So long story short… Sirius is a free man again."

"And where is he now?" Bellatrix asked sounding furious.

"He's travelling and enjoying his new found freedom, I think in Tanzania somewhere."

"And Regulus?"

"Oh…" Hermione stopped. She didn't really know how to share _that_ information with her.

"And Regulus?" Bellatrix repeated with more desperation this time.

"I'm afraid… he's dead Bellatrix. He was a Death Eater and got killed in the first wizard's war."

Bellatrix abruptly stood up from the carpet and she turned her back to Hermione.

"I'm sorry…"

"Spare it! I don't want your sympathy." Bellatrix snapped in a cruel tone, and Hermione felt taken aback.

''I...well, I thought you knew...'' Hermione tried to find the correct words, but stopped.

''Obviously I didn't.'' Bellatrix replied sarcastically, returning to file documents into filing cabinets again.

Hermione slowly stood up and continued with the filing just like the Slytherin witch. She wanted to continue the discussion with Bellatrix, but since she wasn't paying her any more attention, she too remained silent.

It was well past midnight when Professor McGonagall finally woke up to send them back to their common rooms, and they both walked out of her office looking drained.

''So I guess I'll see...'' Hermione tried to greet the Black witch, and felt disappointed when she ignored her completely, walking quickly towards the direction of the dungeons.

* * *

Hermione stared gloomily into the fire burning soundly in the Gryffindor common room, and curled herself up into a little ball. Two days went by without Hermione and Bellatrix speaking after their detention - and she wanted to apologise to her... She felt horrible that she told Bellatrix about her cousins death... And the oldest Black witch was curiously quiet during classes and didn't even provoke teachers for her own delight like she did on her first day. She didn't even make _eye contact_ with Hermione since their detention.

She was slightly disappointed with that.

Hermione and Harry had the common room to themselves. It was well past midnight and Ron had already gone to bed, but since Hermione wasn't tired and Harry still had to complete his potions assignment, they were still awake.

"I just still feel so bad for telling Bellatrix that her cousin died." Hermoione said, again.

"But he had it coming to him, didn't he? He supported You-Know-Who and when things got too hot he fled." Harry said.

"Yes, but I mean, what if the two of them were close?" Hermione asked, a bit bothered by Harry's lack of sympathy.

"I don't know…" Harry answered. "But don't beat yourself up over it. It's not your fault things turned out so badly for Regulus and the Black sisters. At least they also have Sirius now. I'm sure he will be happy to hear that they have returned." Harry answered in a more comforting tone.

"Yeah."

A comfortable silence fell between the two while Harry completed his assignment and Hermione relished in the heat the fire gave them.

"Bellatrix thought that we were dating." Hermione broke the silence, and laughed loudly.

"She did?" Harry also smiled broadly.

"Yeah." Hermione smiled.

"Well, you're like a sister to me so…"

"I _know_ Harry." Hermione answered, not needing an explanation since Harry was like a brother to her as well.

"When are you going to make a move on Ginny though?" Hermione asked Harry knowingly.

"I don't know what you mean." Harry's jaw slightly jumped, and Hermione laughed.

"You obviously have a huge crush on her." Hermione teased him lightly.

"Well, yeah." Harry sighed. "But Ron is her brother. What if he doesn't approve?"

"Don't worry about Ron. He will get used to the idea." Hermione lazily flicked her hand through her hair.

"Hermione, I haven't exactly told you _everything_ about my lesson with Dumbledore last night. I didn't want to tell you in front of Ron, because he doesn't really like Bellatrix so much."

"What is it?" Hermione sat up from the arm chair, and waited for Harry to respond.

"Dumbledore told me that Bellatrix was an avid supporter of You-Know-Who before her disappearance thirty years ago. He wants us to keep an eye on her."

"Are you sure she was?" Hermione answered shocked.

"Yeah.''

"Dumbledore suspects her to make contact with You-Know-You sooner or later, or that _he_ will make contact with her. And that she would want to give information to him about, well, me.''

Hermione nodded, but felt very disappointed.

"Dumbledore says he doesn't have a lot of hope for Bellatrix. He thinks she will definitely become a Death Eater. And he told us not to intervene with that."

"But we should! We can't just let You-Know-Who make her a Death Eater when we know that he wants to do it. We _should_ intervene…" Hermione angrily began, but got interrupted by Harry.

"Yes. We should. And that's why we're _not_ going to listen to Dumbledore. I can't believe I'm saying that though…"

"But how can we stop You-Know-Who from turning her into a Death Eater?"

"I don't know…" Harry admitted.

"Maybe we should try to befriend Bellatrix and her two sisters. We need to make them feel welcome or something." Hermione suggested determinedly. "And if Bellatrix likes us more than the _other_ side, then we could sway her. I think she will be more prone to sway if her sisters are comfortable with the Gryffindors..."

"It might work… Neville seems quite taken with Andromeda…" Harry smiled.

"Yeah, he gave her his Compositae plant…" Hermione chuckled.

"And Ron, do we tell him about this?" Hermione asked Harry.

"No. He might give us away – I feel bad to do it, but we need to work quietly."

"Yeah. And I really hope Hedwig finds Sirius fast. He could play a big role in swaying Bellatrix as well."

"I hope so. But Dumbledore just seemed so… _unconvinced_."

Hermione again worriedly nodded.

"But if we have an inkling that Belletrix has become a Death Eater, we should stay clear of her. It would still help if we get Andromeda on our side though. Hopefully Neville has more luck with witches than I have.''

''Doubt it, but we never know...'' Hermione smirked, but felt determined to keep Bellatrix from becoming a Death Eater. She didn't know why, but she was definitely taken with the witch. And she hoped that it was just a stupid crush that would blow over sooner or later. And she definitely hoped that Bellatrix wouldn't fight for the Dark Side... It would put Harry in a lot more danger than he was already in.

x

x

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	6. Chapter 6

Hermione walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. Ron and Harry already went down to eat breakfast with the rest of the Gryffindor quidditch team, who all opted to stay together until the match later that afternoon was to take place against the Slytherins.

Hogwarts was always extremely excited before a quiddicth match between these two rival houses, and the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws – to Harry's irritation, seemed to side with the Slytherins this year. Hermione knew that it was because of the presence of the Black sisters that made the Slytherin House more popular than ever before, and she couldn't really blame them. The Black sisters were still pretty much the talk of the school since their appearances earlier that week, and she witnessed along with a lot of other students how Professor Snape chased away a few curious journalists that kept on appearing on Hogwarts grounds.

The fact that so many journalists were interested in covering stories about the Black sisters weren't all that surprising, but rather how easily they all penetrated the defences of the school. Harry and Hermione discussed this, and realised that the journalists only managed access whenever Professor Dumbledore was absent from the castle… And if journalists could find an easy way into Hogwarts, how much easier wouldn't it be for Death Eaters – and god forbid, You-Know-Who? What if he finds Bellatrix and interferes with their plans to prevent her from becoming a Death Eater?

And of course, Harry wasn't really all that bothered right now about Bellatrix or the other Black sisters, since he only had one thing on his mind these past two days - quidditch.

Hermione let out a long sigh as she entered the Great Hall and was relieved when she saw how empty it was. She felt slightly guilty that she hadn't wished Ron or Harry good luck before the big match, and she hoped that Gryffindor would win so that they wouldn't remember if she did or not. Hermione spotted Luna at the far end of the Ravenclaw table and she grinned when she saw the strange witch wearing her lion hat, known to roar loudly whenever Gryffindor scored a goal during a match…

She made her way to Luna, who waved at her absentmindedly when she saw Hermione approach her.

"Good morning Hermione. I see a lot of Bobble-Heads surrounding you. Daddy wrote an article about Bobble-Heads and it's believed that the amount of it increases when the person it surrounds have a great deal to worry about." Luna observed in her dreamy-like voice, and Hermione had to try her utmost not to roll her eyes at the 'Bobble-Head' theory that probably has yet to be proven or investigated by other wizards and witches…

"Hi Luna. Looking forward to the match?" Hermione asked, ignoring Luna's observation.

"Yes, although you did miss a lot of action this morning." Luna answered, without any indication in her tone of voice that the 'action' was truly something worth witnessing or not.

"What did I miss? Did someone from Slytherin hex a Gryffindor this morning?" Hermione asked with disinterest, whenever there was a quiddicth match some Gryffindor or Slytherin always tried to do each other in. The previous year it was the stupid 'Weasley Is Our King' chant that filled the whole school, written by Pansy only to disrupt Ron's concentration…

"No. The Slytherins were arguing amongst each other. Zabini got hexed last night while he was sleeping, and many think a fellow Slytherin has betrayed them by giving access to a student from another house to hex him - or by hexing Zabini him or herself."

"Oh… So Zabini won't be playing today?" Hermione asked curiously.

"No, he is in St. Mungo's. Madam Pomfrey didn't know how to heal him… So Andromeda Black will play Seeker today. Some say that Andromeda used to be a great quidditch player. But I guess we'll see later, right?" Luna smiled at Hermione and she gathered her things to go to the grounds as well.

"Yeah, I guess so…" Hermione answered, wondering immediately whether Bellatrix had anything to do with it.

"See you at the match and take care of those Bobble-Heads. I think they have increased since you got here…" Luna departed the Ravenclaw table and dreamily made her way to the quidditch pitch, leaving a slightly perplexed Hermione behind to think about what Luna just said.

* * *

Hermione walked out of the Great Hall towards the Gryffindor common room after a quick breakfast. It was still one hour until the match was ought to take place and she wanted to collect a thicker coat from her room and her Gryffindor scarf before she embraced the icy weather outside.

She took a few short cuts along the way, deciding ultimately to wish Harry and Ron good luck in the locker rooms before the match. The sudden changes in the Slytherin team only meant one thing – Harry would be even more pissed off than ever and Ron would be less confident, if that was possible, than ever.

When Hermione swiftly turned around a corner, she stopped. She heard two female voices arguing in an ad joint corridor further ahead. Hermione carefully stepped forward, making sure not to make any noises that might startle the two girls arguing.

" – refuse to play. I know it was you who cursed Zabini. You can be lucky that nobody knows about your reputation in _this_ time, otherwise you certainly would have carried the blame for it."

"I care not for my reputation in this time, Andy."

 _That's Bellatrix's voice… The other girl must be Andromeda._

"You don't even deny it! Madam Pomfrey didn't know how to heal him, Bella. She has never failed a student of this school before. What curse did you use?"

Hermione realised that Andromeda sounded quite hysterical, and was surprised how calmly her sister was able to respond.

"Maybe she has lost her touch. It was a simple spell…"

"A spell that _he_ taught you?" Andromeda asked in an icy tone. Hermione released a nervous breath, it was clear to whom the 'he' was referring to.

"Do not speak of him."

"I will. Because _he_ is the reason why we are in this mess in the first place and you know it…"

Hermione heard a loud smacking sound. Bellatrix must have silenced poor Andromeda with a thundering slap or something…

"I warned you not to speak of him." Bellatrix spoke to Andromeda with an aloof voice, ignoring the silent and desperate sobs of her younger sister.

A long silence followed which Bellatrix eventually broke.

"I don't want to speak about the Dark Lord. Tell me rather why you have contacted that filthy mudblood Tonks again, Andy?" Bellatrix asked in dangerous whisper, and Hermione had to dare a careful step closer to the corridor to hear Andromeda's soft response.

"I didn't…"

Another slap followed, and Hermione drew her wand. She had to use all her strength not to intervene with Bellatrix's assault towards her poor sister…

"Don't lie to me!" Bellatrix shrieked loudly, making Hermione jump. She never knew the Bellatrix could be so forceful…

"I am not lying! His wife send me an owl…"

"Tonks' wife?" Bellatrix asked, surprised. "What did she want?"

"She warned me to stay away from him. She told me to never contact Tonks and that they are happily married. She doesn't want me to complicate their 'perfect' family life they built."

" _She_ warned _you_? Who does she think she is? Doesn't she _know_ that you're a witch of the House of Black? I will hunt the bitch down and…"

"And _what_ , Bella? She doesn't care about my blood status or that I'm a Black. She views my reappearance as a threat to their family. There's nothing that you or I can do about it."

"Did you plan to write him? Did you plan to intervene by becoming Tonks' filthy little mistress?" Bellatrix laughed harshly at her sister and Hermione was once again surprised by Bellatrix's cruelty.

"Shut your mouth!" Andromeda warned Bellatrix. "I am many things, but I am not a family-wrecker."

A long silence followed and Hermione wished she had Fred and George's Extendable Ears to hear what was going on.

"Yes." Bellatrix eventual response was low and thoughtful. "That you are not."

"I think Tonks tried to contact me and that his wife realised it and intercepted his owls. She blames me for his failed attempts to write me."

"I understand." Bellatrix sighed.

"I tried to owl Sirius." Andromeda eventually said.

"And what did the puppy reply?" Bellatrix asked sarcastically.

"He hasn't responded yet. Maybe he will provide some comfort to Cissy when we meet up with him again." Andromeda sounded hopeful, and Hermione felt her heart clench for her. She sounded so much more 'normal' than Bellatrix…

"Cissy is stronger than you think, Andy. The younger Greengrass girl has given Cissy some much needed distraction."

"She luckily is not crying as much anymore..."

"She has made a friend, yes. But you on the other hand, Andy, look like a walking zombie. Rumours have already filled the castle that you are _lenient_ towards mudbloods and bloodtraitors, and you haven't even been here for one week yet!"

"I can't change what I am, Bella. I would have thought that the whole 'pure of blood' saga would have been different during _this_ time compared to ours…"

"It will _never_ be different! We will _always_ be better than mudbloods, Andy. _Always_. Nothing will change the fact that mudbloods are dirty _filth_ and that _we_ are…"

"Stop it! I'm not having this conversation with you again."

"Fine. Tonks has truly tainted you… But back to quidditch. It might help you."

"How?" Came Andromeda's disbelieving snort.

"It will distract you from Tonks. Besides, you love quidditch, Andy. You and father used to play for ages outside…" Bellatrix stopped talking when Andromeda began to sob again.

"Come on now, Andy. Stop crying. You'll enjoy today's match and you have a brand new broom – a Firebolt!" Bellatrix laughed happily, sounding extremely childlike. Hermione blamed Bellatrix for getting Andromeda in such a sad state, but at least she tried to comfort her in her own strange way. But Bellatrix's rage against 'mudbloods' made Hermione feel… Sad? Disappointed? Betrayed? She didn't really know how she felt, but one thing was clear: Bellatrix didn't seem all that different compared to the other Slytherins.

"…did use to play a lot. Mother always hated that." Andromeda agreed. "But I could have tried out for the team. There was no need to curse…"

"It would have wasted time. You would've gotten into the team if you tried out and by getting Zabini out of the way I really _only_ did Slytherin a favour. I heard Gryffindor won the quidditch cup last year. How's that even possible?" Bellatrix sounded so much like Harry and Ron that Hermione smiled, despite her anger towards the witch. Bellatrix's loyalty to her House made her sound like any other Hogwarts student and provided a sense of normalcy to the Black witch.

"There's nothing that I can do to undo your actions. And the team is probably waiting for me, so I need to go." Andromeda sighed.

"Yes, do. Don't let the little lion cubs win. It'll be an embarrassment."

"Are you coming with me?" Andromeda asked.

"No, I have things to do."

"Does it involve _him_?" Andromeda asked, her somber tone replaced by an icy one.

"I can't say."

"Bella…"

"It may involve him or not. I will not explain my life to you." Bellatrix interrupted her sister with a tone of finality.

"Maybe you only got me into the Slytherin team to get me out of the way so that you could meet with _him_ today…"

"If I intended to meet the Dark Lord I would have done so already - _without_ you or anyone else knowing. I don't need you to keep an eye on me – and to be honest, your detective skills are mediocre. I'm tired of you following me about. Maybe I only want some peace and quiet for once…"

"I don't trust you, Bella. You will meet up with him again. I'm sure of it."

"You're jumping to conclusions. After all I did for you to include you into the team, you can at least be more grateful, Andy."

Andromeda groaned in frustration.

"If you do something stupid while I'm away – it's on your conscience, not mine." Andromeda snapped. Hermione realised with a start that the Black witch was making her way towards the corridor in which she stood. Frantically Hermione jumped behind a suit of armour to hide herself, and felt relieved when Andromeda walked passed her without suspecting her presence.

Hermione waited for a while longer for Bellatrix to walk into the corridor as well, but when a few minutes passed without the oldest Black sister walking by, Hermione carefully made her way out of hiding place.

The Gryffindor inside of her wanted to follow Bellatrix, but another part of her was too scared. She normally acted with Harry and Ron. Now that she had to act alone, she was unsure of herself. What if she messes everything up?

But… What if Andromeda was right? What if Bellatrix only wanted her sister out of the way so that she could make contact with You-Know-Who? And Hermione didn't know whether Professor Dumbledore was at the school or not. She didn't see him at breakfast, but then again, she only arrived in the Great Hall when mostly all the students and teachers already ate…

Deciding to pull herself together – Hermione peeked into the corridor in which Bellatrix and Andromeda had their argument. It was dimly lit, but she was certain nobody was present anymore. Bellatrix must have walked away into the opposite direction.

 _But where to? The dungeons are too far away from here. So she couldn't have gone to the Slytherin common room…_

Hermione walked around aimlessly in the castle, and was ready to give up hope on finding Bellatrix. She no longer felt certain where she was exactly. And she was not certain whether or not she was actually following the Black witch, but something told her to continue. Something told her to keep on going… She had a feeling that Bellatrix was close by. Hermione stopped to catch her breath, and when she did she heard a soft cackle nearby. She turned around and yelped in surprise.

Closely behind her was Bellatrix, and the dark witch smiled triumphantly and dangerously at Hermione.

"Are you trying to follow me, Granger?" Bellatrix asked, her eyes never leaving Hermione's.

"No!" Hermione answered too quickly, causing Bellatrix to smile knowingly.

"Don't lie to me." Bellatrix took a step closer towards Hermione, and she held her breath. The closeness of Bellatrix made her uncomfortable, yet she couldn't tear her eyes away from the very strange, and beautiful, witch before her.

 _Honestly?! Stop thinking she's beautiful, she'll probably curse you into St. Mungo's as well. I just need to play it cool…_

"You were behind me. So you technically were following me." Hermione tried to play it smart, and Bellatrix's smirked.

"Don't try and outwit me, Granger." Bellatrix smiled, taking another step closer to Hermione causing her to release a nervous breath.

Bellatrix's smile grew wider when she saw what effect she had on Hermione.

"Do I make you nervous, Muddy?" Bellatrix laughed manically, and Hermione saw in slow motion how Bellatrix drew her wand. Desperately, Hermione raised her wand as well, but it was too late.

A bright purple light engulfed her senses, and she felt a sharp pain run throughout her whole body. Hermione dared a last glance towards Bellatrix's retreating figure - and all went blank.


	7. Chapter 7

Bellatrix walked away from Hermione refusing to feel the slightest bit guilty.

Why did the mudblood try to follow her in the first place? And worse - did she hear the argument between her and Andromeda? Does she, as the puppet friend of Harry Potter, now know that she wants to be a Death Eater?

Because that would complicate things...

Bellatrix followed the thick Harry Potter three nights ago in the hallways of Hogwarts, long after curfew, and saw that he entered Dumbledore's office... It was odd, to say the least. What did Potter do so late in Dumbledore's office? And if Granger was to tell Potter what she might have heard, he would surely tell Dumbledore everything.

And she really didn't want to hex Granger, since she saw the mudblood as a crucial part in her plans to find out more about Potter. But, unfortunately, it was clear that she suspected Bellatrix to be up to something. Now Granger probably wouldn't trust her ever again in the future. And that made her feel...disappointed.

She ignored the mudblood in classes after they spent their detention together, but that didn't mean she did not capture her attention. She was certainly one of the brightest witches of her age, besides herself - naturally, that she has ever met. And Bellatrix had to admit, with reluctance that is, that Granger was quite a looker.

 _Why do I always tend to go a bit softer on the pretty ones? I should have cursed her like I cursed Zabini... Instead I opted for a painful sleeping curse from which Granger would wake up from in a few hours – or a day, at most._

Walking with purpose, Bellatrix decided to direct her thoughts to more important matters.

She was on her way to finally meet with the Dark Lord.

She couldn't contain her excitement and she didn't want the matter with the mudblood to taint her day as well – Andromeda's accusations earlier did enough to sour her mood already.

The Dark Lord sent her a message via Professor Snape two days ago. _Nothing_ could describe the relief she felt when she saw her Master's handwriting on a small note telling her that he couldn't wait to meet her again and he was interested to hear what had caused her unfortunate disappearance. Bellatrix was scared that he wouldn't care much about her after all the time that passed… But he did. He still wanted her to be one of his followers. He still had use for her.

And now that she _finally_ had Andromeda out of the way, she could meet him without worrying about her sister messing everything up. Andromeda never left her alone and whenever Bellatrix left the Slytherin common room, she followed her. Or tried to, with as much success as Granger had - the only difference is that she would never curse her own sister. And the quidditch match, as Snape suggested, served as the perfect opportunity to distract her and the whole school so that she could meet the Dark Lord without much difficulty.

The first week into the future was hard and the one thing that kept her from becoming mad was the vigorous research she conducted on the First Wizarding War. The library was stacked with books covering every detail about it. Of course, most if not all the books are frustratingly biased and written to make the Dark Lord out as the 'monster of all evil and injustices', so she constantly had to come to her _own_ conclusions about what _truly_ occurred.

It shocked her when she read about the deaths of Benjy Fenwick and Dorcas Meadows... They were pureblood students that were both exceptionally gifted with magic, and were popular fifth year prefects when she arrived at Hogwarts in her first year. Her mother introduced her to Benjy Fenwick when she turned sixteen years old, and although they never really hit it off, she still respected him.

And Dorcas Meadows was personally murdered by the Dark Lord. She and the witch had a bit of a…history. Dorcas was somewhat of a mentor for Bellatrix in Hogwarts while she was younger, and long after Dorcas graduated they rekindled their friendship, much to her mother's delight. Dorcas, however, was a newly trained Auror and was too busy to see or write Bellatrix regularly, and Bellatrix had her own causes to worry about... The few nights they spent having meaningless sex was all it truly ever was – or could be.

She hated the fact that Dorcas eventually joined the Order. The Dark Lord must have been livid about that as well. After all, Dorcas was a pureblood Slytherin... She was one of them and betrayed them.

The whole McKinnon family was murdered by Death Eaters as well. She remembered attending many dinners at the McKinnon Manor… Perhaps they were murdered because they funded the Order during the war? They all, disappointingly, paid the price for being bloodtraitors…

It was therefore of utmost importance to keep Andromeda in check. Her sister only had a doomed future ahead if she was to continue her kindness towards those beneath them. She wondered whether Andromeda too would have joined the Order back in their time and whether her sister too would also have paid the price for it. She definitely had the nerve to do it, since Andy hated the Dark Lord.

What if _that_ was why her mother sent them forward?

Although the deaths of all the purebloods shocked and even saddened her, she still was furious that she didn't have a part to play in the war. She was in a state of dormancy for more than thirty years and now that she has 'awoken' again she _finally_ had the chance to prove herself.

And quite ironically, The Order of The Phoenix, Bellatrix read with revulsion, was not as innocent as people might think. They killed many wizards and witches that only _suspected_ to fight on the Dark Side. War crimes the "Light Side" committed were blatantly ignored after the Dark Lord fell… Only Death Eaters paid the price by going to Azkaban - but there wasn't much information about Death Eaters available, surprisingly, only a few description here and there - but almost no names were _ever_ mentioned. Sirius was mentioned, unfortunately, who was stupid enough to be at the wrong place at the wrong time with his "friend" Peter.

Walking swiftly to the Whomping Willow, her thoughts about Sirius only grew stronger. She told Sirius about all the secret pathways in the castle when he was still an excited young boy that couldn't wait to attend Hogwarts. She remembered how disappointed she was when the sorting hat shouted "Gryffindor" instead of Slytherin… And Sirius then naturally shared all the information about the secret pathways with James Potter that led to a lot of wrongdoings she couldn't bust him for without revealing the pathways to the teachers as well... She could have ignored the fact that he was a Gryffindor, but when he rebelled against all the Black family traditions, she shunned and ignored him even though he always tried his best to rekindle their cousinly bond. They were really so very similar. They both had an appetite to rebel, the only difference was the causes they chose to rebel against.

Even though Sirius and dear Regulus were still so young when they moved forward in time, she was not really surprised how their lives turned out. Regulus always wanted to impress his mother, even as a young boy, but joining the Dark Lord's cause just to impress an old hag like her Aunt Walburga was clearly not sufficient enough reason to carry out what the Dark Lord wanted done...

She reached the withering tree in no time and casted a spell, stilling it. Bellatrix heard the fainting cheers of students on the stands at the quidditch stadium. From the far distance she could only make out small figures in the sky and she wondered how Andromeda was doing, and whether Cissy realised that she was absent from the stands…

Bellatrix slid with ease through the passage hidden in the tree's roots and her heart began to swell with excitement with every crawling movement she made through the low-ceilinged passage. She still couldn't believe that a wizard such as the Dark Lord were currently just a few metres away, awaiting her arrival. It made her feel honoured beyond words.

When the tunnel began the slope upwards, Bellatrix saw a dim of light ahead. She could see the edge of a table, and slowly made her way up through the small opening in the wooden floors.

When she finally found her footing on the wooden floor, a hissing sound made Bellatrix drew her wand fast. A massive snake tried to strike her, and she readied herself the kill the snake. She had no time for animals that tried to harm without reason.

"Don't harm Nagini, Bellatrix. She's one of my dearest possessions."

Bellatrix lowered her wand immediately to her side, and stared into the direction from where the high and clear voice came.

What she saw scared her.

The man that was staring back at her was without any doubt the Dark Lord, but he looked different. His eyes were as red as blood, his skin as pale as snow and where his nose used to be were slits. He looked like a snake, and dare she say and agree with the recent books she read – like a monster.

"Bellatrix, does my appearance repulse you?" The Dark Lord spoke in a high and clear voice. His long white fingers played with his wand in his right hand, and he watched Bellatrix with intent, walking towards her slowly.

Bellatrix dropped to her knees, ready to ask for forgiveness.

"No, My Lord." Bellatrix stuttered, feeling horrified at her own recklessness, knowing he must have read her mind. "I just didn't anticipate how much you would have changed since I last saw you."

"Don't you remember what I taught you?" The Dark Lord smiled without a trace of humour written on his face, and Bellatrix realised with indignity that his tone was condescending. As if her intelligence was not what it used to be thirty years ago.

"My Lord?" Bellatrix asked, she wanted a better explanation from him, afraid that she might answer something stupid.

"The physicality of a mortal body is important, my dear Bellatrix, but the power within is what matters most. I don't recall you being so _shallow_." The Dark Lord snarled.

"Forgive me, My Lord. I'm honoured to be in your presence again." Bellatrix added, quickly.

"That means a great deal, Bellatrix. Coming from you…after all this time."

"My Lord knows I speak nothing but the truth.''

"Yes… I remember you as one of my most willing supporters… You had _so much_ potential, Bellatrix."

"My Lord, I still have! I will do my utmost to make up for my absence." Bellatrix pleaded.

The Dark Lord used the word 'had', as if she didn't have much potential anymore. It made her feel useless. The Dark Lord's faith in her abilities was one of the sole reasons she followed him unconditionally...

"I'm not so sure… Why did you disappear, Bellatrix? Why did you leave me?" The Dark Lord asked, his high voice soft. He took a seat in the corner of the room, and Nagini made her way obediently towards her Master.

"It was my mother, My Lord." Bellatrix swallowed. "She used old and raw magic to send me and my sisters into the future. We never suspecting a thing. She was sickly and our sympathies with her…condition…clouded our judgments."

"You were _weak_!" The Dark Lord spat, furiously, causing Nagini to make an aggressive hissing sound towards Bellatrix. as well.

"I… I was. I was weak, My Lord. I will do anything to make up for it." Bellatrix was still kneeling, and has yet to look the Dark Lord in the eyes again.

"Do you recall, Bellatrix, how I treat the weak?" The Dark Lord asked, and Bellatrix felt herself getting sick with fear. Surely he wasn't going to punish her for disappearing? She had no say in it!

"Answer me!" His high voice thundered through the small room, and Bellatrix released a fearful breath.

"You punish those who are weak, My Lord." Bellatrix answered clearly, but her voice revealed her fear at what she knew was to come from her Master.

"I'm happy that your memory still _seems_ to be intact. You used to be so bright..." The Dark Lord raised from his chair, and Bellatrix waited for the inevitable.

"CRUCIO!"

Bellatrix was blasted backwards by the force of the spell, screaming in agony. The pain that travelled through her body was indescribable. The Dark Lord has used this spell on her before - many times, in fact - but never before was it so unbearable. Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, the pain stopped.

"Do you think me to be cruel, Bellatrix? Do you think I'm treating you unfairly?" He asked with amusement.

"No… My Lord." Bellatrix was out of breath, and she felt tears she didn't even realise she cried travel down her cheeks. With much difficulty she picked herself up from the cold wooden floor, and she waited to be spoken to again.

"For months I searched for you… I felt abandoned. And after three decades, I hear from _Severus_ that you reappeared. Why didn't _you_ contact me, Bellatrix?"

"I couldn't risk it, My Lord. I have a feeling that Dumbledore is watching my every move…"

"And yet, here I stand, Bellatrix. Here I stand on Hogwarts grounds – risking all to reconcile with you. Do you think your safety is more important than mine?" His voice was painfully calm and cold, and he spoke without glancing towards Bellatrix.

"Of course not, My Lord!" Bellatrix answered through tears, her pride has long since left her.

"I had to send my best Death Eaters out on a mission today…" The Dark Lord stared at the ceiling with interest whilst speaking. "Members of the Order had to be distracted. Some of which are patrolling the borders of the school, protecting the 'Chosen One'… All this effort, Bellatrix, to reconcile with a _weak witch_ that left me when I needed her the most."

"My Lord, your efforts will not be in vain. I depended on you to save me from this…ordeal. And I am ready to serve you in whatever way I can, My Lord."

"And I have come to you, Bellatrix." The Dark Lord walked around the room with Nagini in his arms, his face looked thoughtful in the dim light that made its way through the sheltered windows. "I plan big things for you..."

"Thank you, My Lord. I seek to repay you…"

"And that you will… There is no greater dishonour, no greater treason, than to leave me without a great enough explanation. And even then, I am curious as to how a witch such as yourself could not have foreseen what your mother planned for you?"

"She never spoke about anything concerning you, My Lord. I never could have foreseen…"

"CRUCIO!"

The pain again caused Bellatrix to be blasted backwards, this time against a table of sorts… She didn't know how long it went on this time around, all she knew was that there could be nothing on earth worse than suffering the Crucio curse at the hands of the Dark Lord. When the pain thankfully stopped again, the Dark Lord gave her no time to gather herself.

"Did you think lesser of me when you learned that a boy named Harry Potter defeated me? Were you ashamed of me, Bellatrix?" He demanded, loath dripped from every word spoken.

"No, My Lord! I would _never_ be ashamed of you!" Bellatrix defended herself, but a tinge of doubt tainted her thoughts. Did she think lesser of her Master? She didn't have time to reach a conclusion…

" _Lies_! It's all lies! CRUCIO!" The Dark Lord screamed, showing no mercy.

And the pain thundered through her body yet again. She knew her eyes were open, but she couldn't see anything. She could hear someone screaming, but she wasn't sure if it was her own screams. She could hear the Dark Lord's laugh, and she could feel her own wand pressed against her skin on her right wrist where she always kept it, but she knew it to be futile to fight back. She was already too weak and felt repulsed at herself for wanting to defend herself. She deserved this. How foolish of her to think that this would have been a 'happier' reconciliation.

The pain stopped once more and Bellatrix didn't have the strength to pull herself up from the floor this time. She realised that she was at the opposite end of the room... The force of the previous Crucio must have caused her body to travel like a corpse within the tiny room...

"Need I remind you that I am Lord Voldemort? After today you will not doubt me or disappear from me again. Today, you will realise that I am merciful. That I oblige to those who wish to serve."

"Thank you, My Lord! I will do my utmost to be of service to you."

"Then kill Dumbledore, Bellatrix. I give you the rest of the year to gather the courage to kill the old fool. He has been amongst us for too long… Kill Dumbledore, Bellatrix, and I will reward you like I have awarded no other."

Bellatrix was stunned to the core… Kill _Dumbledore_? Surely the Dark Lord knew it to be impossible… He was, apart from the Dark Lord, one of the most powerful wizards that has ever lived.

"Dear Bella…" The Dark Lord used her nickname, causing a terrible shiver to travel through her spine. He must have read her thoughts once more. Her defences were now too weak to keep anybody out of her mind, least the Dark Lord.

"Only I, Lord Voldemort, have extraordinary power. How _dare_ you compare me to that muggle-loving fool?"

For the first time, Bellatrix realised, the Dark Lord was furious. She knew any argument would sound petty and was at loss for words.

"I…"

"CRUCIO!" The Dark Lord screamed, and Bellatrix again screamed in anguish.

Surely death would release her from all of this… And then she could see her Mother… She could apologise for being such a difficult daughter – for not being there for Andy and Cissy when they needed her most… She could see Regulus again… Anything would be better than this pain that burned hotter than flames and stung sharper than knives… Bellatrix felt herself losing consciousness before the pain finally stopped.

She barely could open her eyes. She felt exhausted and humiliated beyond description.

"If you fail to kill Dumbledore, Bellatrix, I will introduce myself to… _Andy_ and _Cissy,_ isn't it? How saddening won't it be if your sisters were to undergo the same fates as your mother and father?" The Dark Lord laughed without joy, and Bellatrix realised with horror that her sisters had a death sentence placed upon them. She would have to kill Dumbledore. There would be no other way…

"I will kill Dumbledore, My Lord." Bellatrix spoke in a voice barely audible, but the Dark Lord heard.

"I have no doubt that you will. You were always mine to begin with, Bellatrix. You're mother tried to stop me and she too paid the price."

Bellatrix couldn't respond… Did her mother truly try to stop him? Was Andy right all along?

"I'm going to mark you. And you will abide to me and follow me. I will lead you to greatness, Bellatrix. Together we will rule the wizarding world. There is nothing that we cannot achieve…together."

The Dark Lord's steps grew louder towards Bellatrix's body, and she lamely allowed his long cold fingers to take her left arm into his grasp. He murmured a few spells and her arm started to burn.

She had no strength to pull her arm away or to draw her wand to distinguish the flames. After suffering the Crucio curse multiple times, the pain was little more than an irritable prickle.

After a few minutes, the Dark Lord uncaringly dropped her arm to the ground. Bellatrix knew that she had been branded with the Dark Mark and she opened her eyes slowly to see it for the first time, but stopped when she saw the Dark Lord's red eyes observing her face with curiosity.

"How peculiar this all is…"

The Dark Lord walked over to Nagini in his characteristic long and inaudible strides.

Bellatrix watched him as he left the Shrieking Shack, walking out of the smallish front door into the night, knowing it wouldn't be long before her would apparate away. She was curled up on the floor and enjoyed the freedom she felt at the Dark Lord's departure. She wanted nothing more than to fall asleep on the floor, knowing she didn't have the strength to make it back to Hogwarts.

It surprised her that it was already dark outside. How long did he punish her for? It felt like seconds or minutes, but judging from her injuries all over her body, she knew it lasted much longer than that.

She eyed the Dark Mark, drenched still with her own blood, with an unfamiliar emotion. For so long she wanted nothing more than to be branded with the Dark Lord's mark. But now that she had it, she felt…scared. She obtained it by agreeing to kill Dumbledore. And if she didn't her sisters will be murdered...

Bellatrix began to sob silently and hated herself for crying. She hated being such a fragile defeatist. She was only thankful that nobody would ever see her like this. This had to remain secret.

Bellatrix shifted upwards, and tried to pull herself up from the ground, without much luck. Her legs couldn't hold her weight and her left arm was useless… The blood that poured from the mark began to worry her. She couldn't afford to lose so much blood, it would weaken her more…

Just as Bellatrix drew her wand to heal the less serious injuries, she heard a loud noise from above the Whomping Willow. Drawing her wand, ready to defend herself, she tried to make out the voices that were crawling into the room she was in.

Her heart dropped when she heard Andromeda's voice.

"…sure that she is here. How do I know that I can trust your map?" Her sister asked with suspicion.

"Blimey, how many times do we need to tell you that the map is genius?" A voice grunted and another voice Bellatrix dreaded to hear, Potter's, answered.

"Ron, don't snap. I know they beat us today in quidditch, but we have more important matters to focus..."

"Yeah, well, if only you got the snitch before _her_ we could have won…"

"Shut it, Ron! She beat me fair and square. The others give me a hard enough time for it already." Harry Potter spoke, agitated.

Bellatrix missed the rest of the bickering between the two Gryffindor's. Her ears started to sing and her vision began to blur. The blood she was losing was causing her to lose consciousness faster than she hoped.

 _I cannot allow them to see me in this state. They cannot see the mark…_

Instead of giving in to her impulses to faint, she murmured a spell to cleanse the blood on her clothes and body, attempting to at least look in a better state. She also murmured a few spells to tightly cover her left arm in thick bandages, and she lengthened her robe over her two arms. She murmured a few healing spells, and straightened her robe. She pulled herself up from the floor and limped towards a wall, leaning on it.

All she had to do now was wait for them to enter the room. She had to play her cards right…had to think of something…she had no strength to win a duel against the three of them.

And when her sister carefully made her way into the room, she screamed in horror when she saw Bellatrix. The two boys that followed her sister, with wands raised, watched in shock when they saw her injured state.

"What the hell happened to you, Bella?!" Andromeda screamed, and Bellatrix had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes. She literally did not have the strength for this. Her sister ran towards her and started to inspect some of her more serious injuries, and Bellatrix weakly fended her sisters hands of her.

"Nothing…" Bellatrix began to explain, but Harry Potter interrupted her.

"Doesn't look like nothing to me… Did you duel someone or something?" Potter spoke, the concern in his voice was sickening to hear.

 _If only… What was he and the Weasley doing there in the first place?_

"I can explain, but I don't really want to." Bellatrix coolly retorted, wincing when her sister slapped her shoulder disapprovingly.

"I searched the whole castle for you! What happened?" Her sister asked again.

"I didn't ask you to..." Bellatrix snapped.

"And we didn't ask you to curse Hermione." Potter added, annoyed, distractedly rubbing the scar on his forehead.

"Yeah... Why did you do that? She's recovering in the hospital wing..." Weasley explained, angrily.

"Granger followed me. She had it coming to her." Bellatrix replied, disengaged, watching Potter pressing one hand over his scar.

"And by the looks of it she suspected you to be up to something stupid as well." Andromeda intervened and Bellatrix gave her a death stare.

 _Her sister could be such a traitorous bitch at times…_

"Look, we searched for Hermione and found her." Potter sighed and pointed at a map in his hand, unnecessarily, since Bellatrix didn't know how the map worked. "And then we found your sister along the way and thought to help her find you as well." Potter ended his sentence, and his eyes travelled over Bellatrix's left arm from which blood slowly crept onto the floor again... He thankfully didn't say anything, but Bellatrix had the eerie suspicion that Potter just figured something out…

"Come on, let's help her up." Andromeda grabbed Bellatrix's right side, and Potter walked over to her left side.

"No! Let him help me." Bellatrix pointed feebly at Weasley, who looked slightly surprised and…flustered?

When both Weasley and Potter didn't move, she explained herself.

"Potter has that map of his and needs to lead us out of here." Bellatrix explained with authority, and was happy when they obliged. She didn't want Potter near her left arm, but then again, Weasley's grip on her left side was needlessly tight...

 _If only I had the strength to curse him into oblivion._

When Potter began to walk towards the small corridor that led to the tree, Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

"Potter, there _is_ a front door." Bellatrix pointed a finger towards the small front door in the room. "I can hardly see how I will be able to climb out of this house like some sort of baboon in my state." She added sarcastically.

" _Fine_." Potter answered through gritted teeth. "I just hope nobody will see us in Hogsmeade. Members of the Order are patrolling outside Hogwarts grounds…"

"The Order will not find us tonight."

"And how do you know that?" Potter asked.

"Because they're useless fools." Bellatrix replied, promptly.

"You can really be thankful that you are Sirius' cousin…" Harry shrugged, walking out of the front door. Andromeda and Ron followed, supporting Bellatrix on each side.

"And I bet he's just the _greatest_ godfather, isn't he? Always around when he is needed? One would think that he would be here to protect you with the Dark Lord again at full strength…" She humoured, but stopped when Potter turned around with his wand pointed at her face. Bellatrix lifted her chin indignantly and waited for Potter to do something he would surely come to regret.

"If you insult Sirius one more time…!"

"Guys! Stop it! We care for Sirius, Harry, we truly do. Even Bellatrix…"

Bellatrix shook her head in disbelief at her sister, who carried on speaking,

"She just…has a weird way to show it. We are, as his cousins, a bit disappointed that we haven't met up with him yet. But we will see him soon, I'm sure." Andromeda cleverly saved the situation and gave Bellatrix a 'shut up or else' look before looking at Harry again.

"Yes, he will be." Potter spoke to Bellatrix, and dropped his gaze at Bellatrix's left arm as if to tell her something. Andromeda caught his gaze, but thankfully Weasley spoke up, clearing away the rising tension.

"Oi! Can we move along, no offence, but for someone so thin she's sort of heavy." Weasley explained to Harry, nodding his head towards Bellatrix. She responded by thrusting her elbow into Weasley's ribs and smirked when he yelped in pain. She gave him credit for not dropping her.

"What was that for?" Weasley scowled, still not looking at Bellatrix.

"Not having enough muscle to carry a _thin_ girl." Bellatrix snarled and chuckled when she saw Weasley blushing. Andromeda groaned in frustration and Potter picked up his pace, looking more irked with every step.

They walked in silence towards Hogwarts and when they reached the entrance of the school, Potter suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Bellatrix asked curiously.

"Professor Snape is on his way outside." Potter whispered, pointing at the map.

"What now?" Andromeda asked, gripping tighter onto Bellatrix's side.

"Let's get to that tree over there, it will cover us..." Harry pointed to a distant tree covered in large autumn coloured leaves.

"Are you mad? We should get close to the castle so that we can slip in when he comes outside." Bellatrix responded hotly.

"We can't really do that since you are currently unable to walk."

"The distance is the same, swot." Bellatrix replied tartly.

"Or we can just bicker until he finds us?" Weasley responded, loosening his grip on Bellatrix tiredly.

"Let's just get closer to the castle…"Andromeda sided with Bellatrix.

 _Wait! Snape is a Death Eater too… He probably came looking for me…_

"It doesn't matter if he finds me… You guys can go on." Bellatrix decided with finality and released her grip from Weasley and her sister with nonchallance.

"Are you mad? After all we did to find you you're just getting yourself willingly into trouble?" Andromeda argued.

"There is _no need_ for you three to get into trouble because of me. I'll be fine." Bellatrix spoke.

"We can't just leave you here." Potter shook his head. "We definitely need to take you to Pomfrey…"

"Just _go_!" Bellatrix snapped. "Snape won't get me into trouble, I'm a Black and a Slytherin Prefect. But with _you_ two here he will be less tolerant. I've seen how Snape treats you in class… Andy, you are to leave with them as well." Bellatrix directed a stern gaze to Andromeda, who still looked furious.

"She has a point, mate. Come on!" Weasley urged Potter on who still watched her undecidedly, eventually following Ron with a reluctant jog.

Without having the support to stay upright, Bellatrix tiredly curled into an awkward sitting position on the wet and icy grass, not really caring that Andromeda was watching her sympathetically.

"Just go after them, Andy. Snape won't get me into trouble."

"Is it because Snape's a Death Eater?"

"Yes." Bellatrix responded honestly, seeing no harm to speak the truth.

"This isn't over, Bella." Andromeda warned her, and Bellatrix sighed in relief when she finally turned on her heel and ran towards the castle as well. She disappeared into a corridor outside the castle behind Potter and Weasley just in time, before the two front doors of the castle dramatically swung open.

Snape walked towards Whomping Willow with quick steps, and Bellatrix watched her sister and the two Gryffindors slip into the castle when Snape was out of eye shot.

She directed her wand into the sky and shot a few green sparks into the sky to capture Snape's attention, which made him change the direction of his strides. Exhausted, and knowing that Snape would help her get back to the castle, she rested her head on the cold grass, despising how her day had gone.

x

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This is a long chapter, so I apologise for mistakes... Anyway! Thanks for the feedback on the previous chapter... :) Until next time!


	8. Chapter 8

Bellatrix waited impatiently on the grass for Snape to meet her. Her body still felt numb after all the crucio curses that she had to endure and her left arm was burning as though it was on fire.

"What happened?" Snape asked, when he finally reached Bellatrix. He crouched near her, she could feel him trying to break into her mind, and felt smug when she kept him out of her thoughts with relative ease. The Dark Lord did make her question her abilities...

"Bellatrix. It is of utmost importance that I know what…" Snape irritably began to argue, but Bellatrix cut him short.

"As if you do not know. You could have warned me!" Bellatrix furiously gritted through her teeth, hating that she was so naïve about her meeting with the Dark Lord. Snape must have known…

"What did you expect? A welcome-back-parade and a homemade cake?" Snape asked with dripping sarcasm, as he observed Bellatrix's multiple injuries.

"No. But not this. He has changed." Bellatrix spoke more to herself than to Snape.

"He _marked_ you?" Snape asked, shocked, and he quickly removed the bandages from her left arm. The serpent and skull was hardly visible with all the swelling and bleeding.

 _So he didn't know…_

"Yes." Bellatrix sighed.

"The Order will return soon… Keep quiet, we cannot draw attention to… _this_." Snape quickly spoke, looking around in the distance, and he used a locomotor charm to lift her body from the ground.

He swiftly walked into the castle and guided Bellatrix's body through the corridors that were hardly lit that time of night. The only sounds Bellatrix could hear was Snape's footsteps and snores coming from portraits, and Bellatrix grew impatient – her left arm was burning hotter than hell and she had to contain herself from not complaining about it.

Snape eventually stopped before a large door in the dungeons, near the Slytherin common room, and he murmured a password softly to a green serpent engraved on the door knob. The door swung open and he placed Bellatrix on a counter within the room.

"Where are we?" Bellatrix asked, and her question was answered when she looked around.

"My potions lab." Snape replied, unnecessarily.

The lab was roomy and filled with ingredients placed on tall and ancient-looking wooden shelves. Nothing was out of place, the counters and the floor were spotless.

"My arm is killing me…" Bellatrix complained, after a while, no longer finding the lab interesting to look at.

"It will hurt like hell for a few days, there's not much I can do but give you an ice potion to sooth the burning sensation. Here, drink this." Snape gave her a small cup filled with an ice blue mixture, and she swallowed it eagerly. Her whole body began to shiver with cold, but it hardly made any difference to the pain she felt in her arm.

"Well thank you, cold tap water would have had the same effect."

Snape didn't respond and rather gave her another potion to drink.

"What's this for?" Bellatrix asked, more sceptically this time.

"A strengthening potion. You lost a lot of blood. And drink this too, it will heal the pain you feel in your muscles - and heal the other scars on your body. And I'm sure you're familiar with Skele-Grow…" Snape spoke, and he watched as she drank all the potions eagerly also.

"How long was I…? How long did he…?" Bellatrix asked, with as much pride as she could muster.

"More than eight hours. I can hardly believe you're still conscious. The Dark Lord seemed to have been quite… _wand-happy_ with you. He normally lets someone else do his dirty work for him." Snape said, and he turned away from Bellatrix to get something from his selves.

"I couldn't afford the _luxury_ of becoming unconscious." Bellatrix replied irritably, ignoring Snape's subtle insult of the Dark Lord.

"Why? What or who stopped you?" Snape asked, sounding concerned.

"Nothing that concerns you." Belatrix answered, refusing to rat her sister out. And she didn't want to tell him that Potter and Weasley were there.

 _Potter knows… I would need to keep a low profile. And Granger suspected something from the start… They would be idiots if they didn't put two and two together._

"Bellatrix… I hardly think you made it to the front lawn of Hogwarts by yourself." Snape said, turning from the selves with a magnitude of ingredients in his hands.

He walked to a silver cauldron in the corner of the lab and lit a flame beneath it. The mixture started to bubble when he added contents to it and Bellatrix felt agitated when silvery smoke started to leave the cauldron, filling the already stuffy lab. She already was in pain – was it really necessary to make her nauseous too?

"He _branded_ you, Bellatrix. What does the Dark Lord expect from you in return?" Snape asked with abrupt directness, obviously irritated that Bellatrix ignored his previous question.

"Is being branded not enough?" Bellatrix replied coyly, holding her head with both her hands, trying not to breathe in the fumes.

"You are a Death Eater now. There is _no turning back_." Snape emphasised the words slowly. "Times are darker than they ever were before – and we are not even at war yet. The Dark Lord will not hesitate to kill you if you fail to do what he expects from you." Snape warned, stirring the mixture in the cauldron counter clockwise.

"I'm not telling you." Bellatrix answered, stubbornly.

"Bellatrix… I urge you to consider my help. He will not show you mercy, after all, he has survived three decades without you in his ranks." Snape said.

"Why is he punishing me for something I never anticipated?" Bellatrix heatedly responded.

Snape again remained silent and concentrated on the still bubbling potion before him.

"What are you brewing in there? And stop trying to read my mind – after today I'm never going to let go of my defences again." Bellatrix spoke up after a few minutes of silence, wanting to speak again just to draw the attention away from the pain she felt on her arm.

"A sleeping potion mixed with another healing potion. I will need to make up an excuse for your absence from your classes tomorrow… The pain in your left arm will make it unbearable to function normally. Sleeping through the worst of it will be best."

"And how do I explain the mark to the Slytherins? I share a damned dormitory with the likes of Parkinson." Bellatrix eyed her mark once more, and Snape turned around from the potion, deep in thought.

"You can sleep in the Head Girl's room. We haven't had a single Slytherin Head Girl since 1984… It will prevent prying eyes. Not that you _need_ to worry about the Slytherin's, I'm sure they'll only respect you more if you show them the mark."

"I don't want to show them." Bellatrix responded. "The Slytherin's already treat me like a hero – I'm sure they'll be too happy that I have my own room as well."

"You speak as if you do not like the attention?" Snape asked with a disbelieving glare.

"I'm used to it." Bellatrix responded and lifted an eyebrow at Snape when he snorted. "I'm a Black – it comes with the package."

"The potion is almost ready. You will need to drink it before bed."

"When will I wake?"

"It's a strong dose. Only on Saturday."

"Saturday? My sisters will be livid." Bellatrix complained, more to herself.

 _And Andromeda would want answers…_

"Like I said, I will make up an excuse." Snape said, sneering at the thought.

"When did _you_ get your mark?" Bellatrix asked, feeling the need to change the topic. "What did he want from you?"

"After I left Hogwarts. And I had to kill an auror…" Snape answered, silently.

"That's unfair! An _auror_?" Bellatrix scoffed.

"Why – what do you need to do – or I _assume_ , kill?" Snape asked, coldly.

"None of your business. I don't trust you."

"The Dark Lord trusts me."

"Not good enough. You wouldn't be teaching here if Dumbledore didn't trust you too. Eventually you will pick a side – what if it is not mine?" Bellatrix questioned.

"You're speaking of things you know nothing about…"

"Don't underestimate me, Snape." Bellatrix smirked.

" _Professor_ Snape…"

"What are you planning to do next year? You're the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher – a position that is cursed… What is it that you're planning? I have no idea why the Dark Lord trusts you, _Merlin_ – why does _Dumbledore_ trust you?"

"If wizards such as Dumbledore and the Dark Lord trusts me, I hardly see the need to explain myself to a _spoilt_ seventeen year old witch, playing with things she knows _nothing_ about." Snape answered aloofly, with a sharp edge to every word.

"Well excuse me for wanting the trust the person that so _easily_ wants to help me." Belatrix responded tartly. "Why do you want to help me?"

Snape stared at Bellatrix, and considered her question for a while before answering.

"It's seems to me that you only want to survive the Rosier's spell until the time comes for you to return to your own. Without my input you might not even make it to the next full moon. You're sisters might not make it as…"

"Don't speak about my sisters…"

"I think I need to. I've seen the Dark Lord kill great witches and wizards, Bellatrix. Like flea's they drop only to be _disregarded_ \- never to be spoken about again... If you're _lucky_ you'll get an article in the Prophet, reporting _inaccurately_ about your death. Those wizards and witches too, thought they could please the Dark Lord. You do not know him as he is _now_ , Bellatrix. I can help you – is it really necessary to risk all in a time that does not belong to you, or your sisters? Do you think it's fair on them that you hold their lives in your hands and your hands _alone_?"

"I don't plan to fail." Bellatrix stubbornly replied, and Snape snorted.

"You're… _mission_ …does not seem simple, Bellatrix. The Dark Lord is furious with you – tell me, what impossible task did he give you? He doesn't care if you fail and…"

" _Stop_! Just shut it!" Bellatrix couldn't take in anymore. It was too much. She didn't want to die – she didn't want her sisters lives depended on _her_. She didn't ask for any of this. What harm would it do if Snape knew the truth? At least she could then test where his loyalties lay. Perhaps he could keep her sisters safe if all went wrong… That's all that mattered in the end – they just had to survive the year.

"What will you get out of the deal if you help me?"

"Information." Snape responded simply. "I am one of the few Death Eaters that escaped prosecution after the Dark Lord fell, which I managed only because I had information – from both sides."

"You're a fence sitter then - the worst there is." Bellatrix accused him without sympathy.

"People have use of me because of what I know. If I have nothing to offer, then I too, will be disregarded by the Dark Lord and the Order alike."

"You wanted this life."

"When I was younger. Now I do what I can to survive. And _you_ need to do what you can to please the Dark Lord or you will pay the price like so many before you did."

Bellatrix considered his answer, and even though she still did not trust him, she knew she would need help. If Snape was as close to Dumbledore like he claimed he was, it could be useful. She would be a fool not to accept help – especially if her sister's lives were on the line as well. It was time to get streetwise.

"I have to kill Dumbledore." Bellatrix revealed abruptly. Saying it out loud sounded even more ridiculous to her than thinking about it. "If I fail he will kill my sisters. Like you rightly guessed."

To Bellatrix surprise, Snape almost looked relieved at her proclamation.

"Are you _deaf_? He wants me to murder Dumbledore." Bellatrix repeated again, sceptical of Snape's lack of reaction. What did he know that made him look so relieved about her task?

"I heard." Snape answered, calmly. "The Dark Lord probably thinks that he set you up for failure."

"And _if_ I do fail, will you at least promise me that you'll keep my sisters safe?"

"Don't give up before you start, Bellatrix."

"You need to promise me that you'll keep them safe!" Bellatrix started to panic now, didn't Snape _understand_?

"I will."

"Promise me! I confided in you and now I need you to keep your word. I can die, but my sisters need to remain unharmed by the consequences. Even if you need to ask the Order…" Bellatrix demanded, with distaste. Snape was right after all, it wasn't about sides anymore. It was about surviving.

"I promise." Snape said, and Bellatrix watched her Head of House unblinkingly to see whether he meant it or not.

"You'll surprise the Dark Lord, I'll see to it."

"But how? Even the Dark Lord fears him…"

"Leave the thinking to me for now. Go to bed and drink this potion." Snape poured some of the contents of the cauldron into a small glass bottle.

"Thank you." Bellatrix said as he handed her the potion. It was not her style to thank anyone, ever, but in this instance Snape deserved as much.

Bellatrix eventually walked out of Snape's potion room, satisfied that her body regained some of its strength, and made her way as quickly as she could to the Slytherin head girls' room. She was surprised when she already saw her belongings in the room and that it was linked to a spacious bathroom. Snape must have informed the house-elves… And they acted fast.

She sat on the large bed and welcomed the silence.

Perhaps, Bellatrix thought, she'll succeed… But in her life right now, and she smiled humourlessly at the irony of it all, only time would tell.

* * *

Saturday.

"A couple of years ago I would have thought us _crazy_ not to go to Hogsmeade on such a beautiful day…" Hermione said, staring through a window in the Gryffindor common room.

"Yeah, but look at the bright side – the common room is deserted." Ron yawned, still dressed in his maroon pyjamas. ''Wonder where the first years and second years are hiding though...''

"Maybe we should go." Harry suggested.

"Why? I had enough excitement for one week, thanks." Hermione retorted, thinking about the time she spent in the hospital wing because Bellatrix.

She was only released by Madam Pomfrey last _night_ , so she missed a _whole_ day of school. She had more than enough to catch up on and was furious with Bellatrix - she didn't want to risk seeing the witch anywhere. She might just hex the oldest Black witch back to her time when she saw her…

"To keep a lookout for Bellatrix." Harry responded, and both Hermione and Ron groaned. Ever since Hermione got out from the infirmary, Harry didn't stop talking about his suspicions and theories that involved Bellatrix being a newly branded Death Eater.

"Oh come on! Something is going on with her…" Harry spoke as he paced back and forth. "It all seems too random, them being here after thirty years. What if Voldemort sent them forward?"

"Then he is bonkers! For them to do what? Play for the Slytherin quidditch team? I _still_ can't believe we lost against them." Ron said, pulling a pillow over his head. "Ï bet Snape is wearing his party knickers this whole weekend…"

"Focus Ron!" Harry snapped.

"Harry…" Hermione tried to intervene, but he kept on arguing his case.

"No, Hermione, you weren't there! She was tortured by someone. By Volde –…" Harry stopped when he saw Hermione and Ron flinch, "By _You-Know-Who_ , and he branded her. She didn't want me near her left arm and I'm sure she knew that I suspected something…"

"Mate, I think you are overreacting. Besides, when Charlie asked dad how it must feel like to receive the Dark Mark, he said that it was known to be messy and _very_ painful. Mind you, mom was livid that dad answered and for weeks raided Charlie's room in search of 'dark' things…"

"Yeah, but her left arm was heavily bandaged! And she seemed as if she was in pain. And Hermione, you followed Bellatrix because you predicted that she was up to something as well! She argued with her sister and she accused Bellatrix of only getting her into the Slytherin team just so that she could meet with You-Know-Who without her intervening…"

"Harry, it all seems very suspicious to me as well." Hermione agreed. "But we don't know for sure – I think she _did_ meet up with You-Know-You, but _branding_ her? That seems a bit too far."

And it would mean that You-Know-Who acted faster than they did, and that they all, Dumbledore especially, failed Bellatrix. But it would also mean that Dumbledore was right - he suspected her to become a Death Eater...

"And if what you are saying is true, it means that we, more than ever, need to focus on finding out what horcruxes are… If Bellatrix is a Death Eater, and I'm not saying she is, You-Know-Who is getting a lot more achieved than we are…" Hermione sternly spoke to Harry, who seemed disinterested in talking about horcruxes, which infuriated her.

"I still think this is mad. Dumbledore would never allow a Death Eater student in the castle." Ron added, disinterested.

"But why wasn't she in class yesterday?" Harry wondered again.

"The Slytherin's said something about her being sick or something." Ron responded, lazily.

"Then why didn't we see her in the infirmary when we went to visit Hermione?" Harry challenged.

"I don't know, Harry." Hermione answered, perplexed. An enthused Harry was someone very difficult to deal with. "But if she is a Death Eater we will eventually find out. Meanwhile, we need to do what we can to find information about horcruxes..."

"We all need to keep an eye on her. And on her sisters as well. They did not just 'appear' in our time without any reason. They are up to something." Harry rambled on, ignoring Hermione's reasoning.

"Maybe she duelled with someone that she used to know? Who knows? I mean, she really could have done _anything_ and we wouldn't know any better…" Ron trailed on about all the possibilities of what Bellatrix might have been doing on Thursday.

Harry paged through a Daily Prophet angrily, reading nothing in particular until reaching an article written about the Black sisters.

"A war is brewing and all they write about are the Black sisters! Who _cares_ that they used to go on holiday in France?" Harry threw the Daily Prophet in the fire.

" _Calm down_ mate, they're probably happy that they can focus on other topics for a few days. It'll blow over." Ron tried to calm Harry, who took a seat gloomily next to Ron on one of the red sofas.

Not being in the mood for a broody Harry or Ron brainstorming nonsense solutions, Hermione grabbed her bag and stood from her armchair.

"I'm going to the library. I got permission from McGonagall to browse through the Restricted Section. I still think I could find something there about horcruxes." Hermione said, and waited to see whether Ron or Harry wanted to join.

"I'm not in the mood." Harry responded, staring into the fire as if he expected Sirius's head to pop out any minute to speak to him.

"Yeah, I just want to relax, what a week..." Ron tiredly agreed with Harry.

"Fine." Hermione snapped, and walked she walked out of the common room feeling extremely annoyed. Wasn't it _obvious_ that they had to figure out what horcruxes were? If it was key to defeat You-Know-Who, they had to do it quickly… If Bellatrix was a Death Eater, it meant that much more was going on that they were not aware of…

Hermione walked into the library and was happy to see that it was basically empty, apart from a few Ravenclaw students – she called them the 'regulars' – they were almost as much in the library like she was.

"Good afternoon, Madam Pince." Hermione whispered, and placed Professor McGonagall's letter on the desk before the strict librarian, who was very fond of her. Probably because she returned all the books she borrowed from the library on time - and because she never damaged and spilled food on it like some of the other students. Or _lost_ books, like poor Neville once did in their fourth year.

"Good afternoon, my dear." She answered softly with a good-hearted smile. She stamped the letter with a loud 'thud!' which echoed through the large library and Hermione moved along to the Restricted Section hoping to find at least something that could be of use to Harry.

It was the part of the library which always excited her – a _whole_ section behind a closed door that so few students ever wandered in. She could only imagine what spells and information each and every single book had written in it…

Hermione spared no time in going through textbooks and reading through glossaries, hoping to see something about horcruxes – but she had no luck. Instead she got lost reading about a dark spell that could turn one head into three. Grimacing at the magnitude of side-effects the spell could cause, she placed the book back onto the shelf and continued her search.

Hours went by and Hermione, without paying mind to it, disappeared deeper and deeper into the Restricted Section, carrying only a few books for her efforts thus far. As she ducked to pick a book from one of the lower shelves, she jumped when she heard the door shut close with a loud bang.

Hermione curiously glanced to see who the student was, but was too far away from the door and behind to many bookshelves to get a clear view.

"Hey? Somebody there?" Hermione called out, but nobody answered. "Strange..." Hermione murmured to herself, and feeling uneasy, she placed the book she was paging through back on the bookshelf and began to make her way out.

Reading through countless of books filled with dark magic had spooked her enough for one day and she held onto her wand tightly, walking as quickly as she could to exit.

When Hermione finally reached forward to open the door, she glanced back one last time, and she drew her wand in shock when she saw Bellatrix.

The Black witch was leaning against one of the bookshelves near the entrance with her arms folded, watching her closely.

"We keep on running into each other, it seems." Bellatrix observed coldly, glancing at Hermione's wand with a distasteful expression.


	9. Chapter 9

" _You_!" Hermione pointed her wand at Bellatrix, who raised an eyebrow at Hermione's aggression.

"Drop your wand, Mudblood." Bellatrix said, not even bothering to take out her own.

"Don't call me that!" Hermione defended, feeling dissatisfied with her comeback, but not really caring. Her anger with the witch just risen ten-folds after she called her 'mudblood', and she had had enough of it.

"Even your wand seems nervous when it's pointed to those _pure_." Bellatrix smirked at Hermione's shaking arm.

"You mistake 'nerves' with anger. And you cursed me! I spent one day in the hospital wing and missed important class…" Hermione began to argue.

"Indeed. Had a nice sleep?" Bellatrix interrupted her, laughing at Hermione's fury.

"Had a nice meeting with your Master?" Hermione responded hotly, and was pleased when Bellatrix looked taken aback.

"I already cursed you once, Mudblood. I will happily do so again." Bellatrix warned dangerously.

"Not before I return the favour." Hermione countered, feeling her face grow red with an unknown anger. And not really knowing why she chose _this_ moment in her Hogwarts career to snap at a Slytherin for ridiculing her, she yelled:

"Stupefy!"

Bellatrix jumped out of the way with a surprised expression, Hermione's curse missed her shoulder by inches.

Bellatrix drew her wand so quickly that Hermione had to blink a few times before gathering herself.

"Protego!" Hermione shouted, just in time to shield Bellatrix's counter-curse.

"Already on the defence? Alarte ascendare!" Bellatrix yelled.

Hermione ducked behind bookshelf, and heard a ton of books fall to the ground as the curse hit it.

The books, filled with dark magic, yelled multiple obscene words when it hit the ground, and Hermione watched in horror when one of the books broke out in great green flames, moving in a spiral within the corridor she stood. The fire ignited everything before her and it moved closer and closer to Hermione.

"Aguamenti!" Hermione tried to extinguish the growing fire, but it had no effect. She didn't know the counter-curse for fiendfyre, so she just started to ramble any curse she could think of to counter it.

"Oh, just move." Bellatrix said irritably from behind Hermione.

Hermione jumped in surprise, still trying to counter the flames with spells she knew were useless, but she had to try.

"I said _move_!" Bellatrix shouted and grabbed Hermione by her robe and pushed her into a bookshelf with force. Her left hand firmly gripped Hermione around the neck, keeping her in place, as she directed her wand to the flames before them.

"Scallupulox infirivicae." Bellatrix finally murmured, and the fire stopped instantly.

"Thank god!" Hermione gasped, beneath Bellatrix's grip that still kept her firmly in place against the bookshelf, feeling oddly comfortable underneath it.

"This is _your_ fault." Bellatrix announced, as her eyes travelled over the damage the fire caused.

"Don't think so… Do you even have _permission_ to be in here?" Hermione asked Bellatrix, thinking that nothing would have happened if Bellatrix just followed the rules. And didn't call her a mudblood… And didn't send her to the infirmary…

"No." Bellatrix replied, eventually.

"I figured."

"I'm surprised no one is here yet…" Bellatrix looked around towards the door.

"This room has a silencing charm placed over it. I read it in Hogwarts, A History."

"Interesting." Bellatrix nodded at the piece of information.

"Yes." Hermione agreed with effort, Bellatrix's grip around her neck was making it difficult for her to breath. Hermione's eyes glanced downwards to Bellatrix's left hand, and her eyes caught sight of a bandage covering the top part of her left arm.

Before she could get a better glimpse at it, Bellatrix abruptly released her neck and her left arm dropped to her side.

Hermione sent Bellatrix a sceptical glare, and ignored the feeling of loss around her neck - of all places... She had to contain herself not to roll her eyes at her own weirdness…

"When did you injure your left arm?" Hermione asked, trying to get back to reality.

"A few days ago."

"How?"

"It's a side-effect from travelling thirty years." Bellatrix replied, but the excuse sounded too well rehearsed to pass as believable. To Hermione at least…

" _Really_?" Hermione answered, disbelievingly.

"Yes." Bellatrix answered unblinkingly.

"If you say so."

"Listen, Granger. Stay out of my way – and I will stay out of yours. So far I have only _reacted_ on your actions, I have not initiated anything. In my mind, I'm innocent and I do not need to explain myself to you. I owe you nothing. And I don't want to draw any more attention to myself… I get enough as it is."

"Fair enough. But things are unfortunately not as simple. My best friend is Harry Potter and so far not a year has passed in which someone hasn't tried to kill him. I, or we, keep our eyes open at all times because we know that nobody can be trusted. Least you, who appeared out of nowhere… And who seems too close to You-Know-Who for comfort... So I _will_ keep an eye on you, because I think you know pretty well that I have all the reason to do so."

"We can agree to disagree then." Bellatrix answered aloofly. "It's almost a guarantee that we'll see more of each other then – whether your theories are true or not."

"Probably." Hermione agreed.

" _And now_ we need to clean this mess." Bellatrix announced, rather abruptly, and Hermione was slightly taken aback.

"That's it? Discussion over?" Hermione asked surprised.

"I think we have said everything we could to each other – for now." Bellatrix answered, walking towards the mess.

"I guess…" Hermione agreed.

"I'm thinking that we clean the ash with a simple cleaning spell, and then we can duplicate random books and put it in the places of the burnt books."

"Madam Pince will realise."

"She hardly ever comes in here..."

"But _someone_ will realise." Hermione disagreed, worriedly.

"And who will think to blame _you_?" Bellatrix smirked at Hermione.

"You have a point." Hermione agreed after a while, not liking the idea, but also not willing to face the consequences for the amount of damage they just caused…

"Good." Bellatrix smiled fleetingly at Hermione, before stalking off to clean the mess, and Hermione couldn't help but think that Bellatrix's smile made her look really pretty…

Together they cleaned, duplicated and reorganised the bookshelves in no time.

"What can we do about the smell?" Bellatrix asked, sniffing into the air and scoffing at the smokiness.

"Uh… Araceae diplimo!" Hermione shouted, and a strong flowery scent shot out from her wand to fill the air, eliminating she smell effectively.

"I prefer the smoky smell to _that_." Bellatrix raised her nose to the strong fragrant. "The Restricted Section now smells like a prostitute, thanks to you."

"Ha ha." Hermione sarcastically replied, but smiled. "How would you know what prostitutes smell like anyway?"

"The answer is simple." Bellatrix replied with a seductive wink, and Hermione felt her face get hot at the thought...

"Oh calm down, I would never _pay_ for sex." Bellatrix said, straightening her back and lifting her chin indignantly at Hermione's reaction.

"Okay." Hermione replied, noncommittally.

"Why are you blushing?" Bellatrix asked, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not blushing."

"You're a liar."

"I'm not!" Hermione retorted loudly, hating that she now blushed more than ever.

"You're such a virgin, it's not even funny." Bellatrix observed, and laughed when Hermione this time gave Bellatrix an undignified stare.

"So what if I am? I'm waiting for someone special..."

"Again – virgin." Bellatrix laughed, and Hermione felt her anger at the witch rise once more.

" _Excuse_ me, but I don't really fancy discussing my personal life with you."

"Even if you were I wouldn't be interested to hear it." Bellatrix replied smoothly.

Bellatrix and Hermione stood in silence, sharing annoyed glances, and even though they didn't have much to say to each other, neither made the first move to leave just yet.

"What are you looking for in here?" Hermione decided to ask, when the awkward silence began to drag on too long.

"Knowledge." Bellatrix answered, smirking when Hermione frowned disapprovingly.

"And you? A Gryffindor goody-two-shoe student is the last person I'd expect to find in here."

"Yeah, well... It doesn't matter… What I'm looking for is not here. It's as if someone removed books..."

"Then it must be really dark." Bellatrix responded, interested.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. We should go." Hermione announced, but as she turned to walk to the door, she felt an odd tingling in her mind. She could feel Bellatrix searching through her thoughts, until she reached a memory – more like a word written in Harry's handwriting on a small and dirty piece of paper. Hermione pushed Bellatrix out of her mind with as much power as she could.

"You _bitch_!" Hermione gasped.

" _Horcruxes_?" Bellatrix asked, intrigued.

"How dare you invade my mind?!" Hermione gasped, feeling horrified that classified information was now known to _Bellatrix_. She again raised her wand, but knew it was too late. There was nothing she could do about this now, and she didn't want to start another duel with Bellatrix, who was clearly more skilled than she was at duelling.

"I couldn't resist." Bellatrix smiled. "And I was right… It _is_ dark."

"You know what it is?" Hermione asked, surprised, dropping her wand to the ground slowly.

"Of course. And you won't find information about _that_ in here…"

"What is it?"

"Not telling." Bellatrix laughed again, only infuriating Hermione more.

"If you don't, then I will…" Hermione answered.

"What can you possibly do to threaten me by?" Bellatrix taunted.

"Diffindo!" Hermione pointed to Bellatrix's left arm, and the Black witch screamed in anger when Hermione sliced her robe and bandages open to expose a part of the dark mark burnt on her skin, looking swollen and red on her left arm.

"I will tell Dumbledore that you are marked, and I will start rumours within this whole school to expose you for what you truly are. One of _them_. Bothered by the attention now, are you? It can get much worse than it is if you don't tell me…"

"Fine! But you cannot tell anyone!" Bellatrix agreed, and Hermione realised that she seemed scared. It was not a look that suited her at all…

"Then tell me what horcruxes are."

"Granger, it is dark magic… I don't think it's wise... There's a reason the information is not in here. Heck, I'll be surprised if you find it in the _London_ magical library..." Bellatrix uncomfortably explained, but Hermione showed her no mercy.

"Tell me or I will make your life hell." Hermione warned. She _suspected_ , but it was much worse to see the actual mark burnt on her arm than it was to think about it and she felt angry – at Bellatrix for being so _stupid_ and she hated You-Know-Who more than ever for what he did to her.

"You-Know-Who sent you and your sisters forward, didn't he? You have a mission, and it involves handing Harry over to the Dark Lord or something, I'm _sure_ of it. Or why else would you be in _our_ year bearing the mark? This is all just a major set-up by You-Know-Who and this is not going to end well and things are just getting out of..."

"Hermione, shut up."

Bellatrix said her name for the first time, and it shocked her to silence.

" _Finally_." Bellatrix sighed. "Before I tell you, I think you need to know that my sisters and I weren't sent by the Dark Lord. And I only bear _this...,_ " she pointed to her mark, "Because he punished me for my disappearance... Potter is _not_ important to me."

"So who sent you then?"

"Doesn't matter."

"But..."

" _And_ horcruxes… Horcruxes are... Well. It's something that's done..." Bellatrix struggled to find words.

"Oh, for heaven's sake… Just spit it out."

Bellatrix gave her a dirty look.

"Don't forget yourself." Bellatrix straightened her already perfect posture again, and Hermione could see her griping her wand tightly within her robe, clearly hating it that a 'mudblood' had the upper-hand against her.

"It _seriously_ can't be that bad." Hermione said, pretending to be oblivious to the little status crisis she was going through.

"It's when you split your soul. And you can only split your soul if you do things beyond evil. The part of soul you split, is then kept somewhere… Like within an object… When you die, you'll live on – until you get revived by someone to return to human form."

Hermione swallowed hard. This was bad... It meant that Voldemort split his soul. But how many times did he do it? What if he had hundreds of pieces living around?

"So… How many times can you split your soul?"

"Is once not bad enough?" Bellatrix asked Hermione as if she was mad.

"Well… _Yes_. But how many horcruxes can you make, like how many times can you split your soul? Is there a limit?" Hermione rephrased her question.

"You don't know _what_ you're dealing with here! Some magic is best just left alone… You'll be less than human forever… You're not meant to continue with only a part of your soul, the rest, the other pieces, will forever be lost and you'll turn into a 'nothingness', something with a heartbeat and a voice..." Bellatrix stopped her explanation. "The Dark Lord has horcruxes, doesn't he?" Bellatrix asked Hermione suddenly.

"Well… Yes. Did you honestly think I would consider splitting my soul?" Hermione laughed, but there was nothing humorous about this at all and Bellatrix's disgusted expression told her as much.

"You are _really_ too nonchalant over something so serious. It's why witches and wizards like _me_ are against mudblood's prancing around with magic. You lot have no respect for this world…"

"Oh come on! As far as I know it's your 'Dark Lord' who was stupid enough not to _respect_ magic…"

"The Dark Lord grew up..." Bellatrix ended her sentence, abruptly. "Point is," she sighed, "He is unstoppable."

"That should be great news to Death Eaters all around…"

"I told you what horcruxes are… And you now need to keep your word." Bellatrix bluntly responded, ignoring Hermione's sarcasm.

"Sure. But only if you don't do anything stupid."

"Deal."

"Deal." Hermione held her hand for Bellatrix to shake.

"I'm not shaking your hand."

"Why not? Think your superiority will rub off on me?"

"Fine." Bellatrix held out her hand for Hermione to take and when she did, she was pleasantly surprised how perfectly their hands locked together. Her hand was perfect - her fingers were long and slim, and her grip was quite firm – too firm. Getting really firm…

"Ouch!" Hermione shrieked, closing and opening her hand to get rid of the stiffness.

"Do you like stare at my hand?" Bellatrix asked tauntingly.

"We should go." Hermione grabbed her bag, and ignored the smug expression that once again took over Bellatrix's features.

"Yes. You go first. Take a book to check-out, I'll need you to distract Madam Pince so that I can sneak out of here unnoticed..."

"Say 'please'."

Hermione decided to taunt the witch this time, and smiled at Bellatrix's shocked expression.

"No." Bellatrix refused, flatly.

"Then I won't do it."

"Just _do_ as a say."

"No. Say 'please'."

Bellatrix remained silent.

"Bye then." Hermione walked towards the door and waited for the Black witch to crack any second…

" _Please_." Came the soft response, and Hermione almost burst out in giggles when she dared a glimpse at Bellatrix, looking as if she was just forced to swallow slugs or something...

Hermione quickly went to pick a book from a bookshelf closest to her, and turned around to exit the section once more.

"See you!" Hermione greeted Bellatrix cheerfully, who unsurprisingly didn't greet her in return.

"Why don't you swallow your own medicine…" Hermione murmured to herself, smirking as she made her way through the library to Madam Pince, sitting at her desk.

The librarian, however, immediately stood from her chair when she spotted Hermione and she made her way towards her, looking worried.

"Madam Pince?" Hermione whispered to the librarian, when she finally reached her standing awkwardly in the middle of the library.

 _What if she knew? It's impossible, a silencing charm would have made it impossible for her to hear any commotion. But still… What if she suspected something strange going on?_

"Before you leave, dear. Can you do me a favour?" Madam Pince spoke silently to Hermione.

"Sure." Hermione answered.

"I just hate… _that_ …section." Madam Pince beckoned with her head to the Restricted Section.

"Yes?" Hermione wondering where the librarian was going with this.

"Miss Granger, you were in there for an awfully long while, and I just thought that you wouldn't mind accompanying me… You must be unaffected by the section. And I need to return this book in there…" Madam Pince explained, and Hermione couldn't help giving her a reassuring smile.

"Sure." Hermione answered, her voice sounded high from nerves.

 _Bellatrix were probably ready to leave the section any second now… Hopefully she repaired her robe and covered her arm… I'm sure she has… She must have. She's many things but not stupid…_

"Have worked here for fifty years now and I still have trouble with that section, it scares me beyond my wits, dear." Madam Pince mumbled grimly, and Hermione nodded dumbly in agreement, walking as slowly as she could beside the aging librarian back to the Restricted Section.

Hermione held her breath when Madam Pince opened the door, and she was felt relieved when Bellatrix was standing before the door in an unscathed robe - her left arm perfectly covered.

"You traitor…" Bellatrix muttered murderously at Hermione, but Madam Pince cut her short.

"You don't have permission to be in here! Miss Black, explain yourself."

"I can explain!" Hermione said, before any more damage were done. Bellatrix and the Madam Pince both looked at her expectantly.

"I… I am actually not a fan of this section as well, Madam Pince." Hermione explained, refusing to make eye-contact with a furious-looking Bellatrix. "Bellatrix was so, uh, _friendly_ to suggest her support, but since she didn't have permission – she was awfully busy this week and she was sick yesterday, so she couldn't have gotten permission even if she wanted it... Anyway, long story short!"

Hermione gripped her hands together and awkwardly continued,

"I suggested to Bellatrix to enter the room, _without_ permission, to aid me in my search for _this_ book…" Hermione victoriously showed Madam Pince the book in her hand, which the librarian grabbed from her grasp instantly. Refusing to be disheartened, Hermione smiled kindly to Madam Pince and she continued her rather feeble excuse. "Her presence just made me less nervous to be in here as well, so it was all because of me that Bellatrix is in here in the first place."

Madam Pince disapprovingly stared at Hermione for a long while.

"You are both to report at Professor McGonagall for your indiscretion." Madam Pince declared. "And I prohibit you both entrance into this room for _two_ months."

"I understand." Hermione answered, solemnly.

"You are lucky not to get banned from the _whole_ library for _one_ year!" Madam Pince ended her sentence. "This is _no_ room to play with! And as _prefects_ you ought to set an example. Students have _died_ in here before. And what is this smell?"

"It's a floral fragrance." Hermione explained, getting red.

"A _what_?" Madam Pince asked bewildered.

"A _smell_ that reminds her of her muggle home. It _calms_ her." Bellatrix answered with an evil smile, obviously implying that Hermione's muggle home smelled like prostitutes.

"This is no laughing matter, Miss Black."

"I agree, the smell is more worrying than half the books in here." Bellatrix laugh echoed loudly through the section, and Hermione lifted her eyes to the ceiling in annoyance.

"Report to Professor McGonagall immediately. Come on, off you go." Madam Pince sent them off and she stalked deeper into the Restricted Section to place the books back on their shelves.

Bellatrix and Hermione curiously watched whether Madam Pince would realise if more than one hundred books were now duplicates, but when she returned empty handed from one of the shelves at the back, they knew they were covered.

"I will not speak twice! _Out_!" Madam Pince shrieked.

"Sorry…" Hermione apologised quickly and Bellatrix laughed loudly again as they basically ran out of the library.

"Honestly, Granger. You had one job!" Bellatrix smirked at Hermione as soon as they exited the library.

"She cornered me. Said she was scared to go in there on her own and she ask me to join her inside..." Hermione explained.

"Kinky."

"You're disgusting." Hermione scoffed, surprised that she and Bellatrix seemed to get along pretty well, even though they had all the reason to hate each other... They just admitted to each other that they were fighting for opposite sides, but something kept Hermione from being completely nasty to her – and something must be preventing Bellatrix as well?

"You know, there must be a reason Madam Prude there never got married. She was already old in my time…"

"Maybe she was married…"

"Or maybe she and Filch has an affair… Maybe he isn't scared of the Restricted Section as well…"

"Bellatrix…" Hermione slapped Bellatrix jokingly on her left arm, but regretted it instantly when she gasped in pain.

"Sorry…" Hermione apologised.

"Forget it." Bellatrix mumbled angrily, as she pulled her left arm deeper into her robe. "Let's just get to McGonagall..." Bellatrix sighed.

They walked in silence the rest of the way, and Hermione decided to let the topic of her being a Death Eater go… For now. It seemed as if she was in way over her head, and she would keep her end of the deal as promised.

She also wasn't planning to tell Harry or Ron that Bellatrix was a Death Eater and she will just say that she found an explanation about horcruxes from a book in the Restricted Section or something…

"Here we are." Hermione sighed before Professor McGonagall's office, and Bellatrix waited for her to enter before her.

"Need me to go in first to _calm_ your nerves?" Bellatrix taunted with a smirk when she didn't enter, and she couldn't help but smile when she followed Bellatrix's confident frame into the McGonagall's office.

xx


	10. Chapter 10

Hermione read through one of her Defence Against the Dark Arts textbooks in the Gryffindor common room, but was distracted. She watched Harry and Ron that sit across from her, talking about nothing interesting in particular, and guilt were slowly eating away at conscience.

 _Maybe I should tell them._

 _But I gave her my word. And she didn't seem dangerous, instead, she seemed…normal. Or, well, relatively normal. She seemed tired, perhaps even nervous. But dangerous? Maybe... Maybe she's dangerous. Maybe I should tell Dumbledore... What if Bellatrix does something stupid? I'll never be able to live with myself. I would never be able to look Harry and Ron in the eyes again._

''Hermione!'' Ron shouted, and she realised that Harry and Ron were trying the catch her attention.

''Yeah, sorry… What is it?'' Hermione asked, eventually finding her voice. It sounded nervous, but she hoped that they wouldn't pick up on that.

''You seem a bit off…'' Harry said.

''No, I was just enjoying this particular chapter.'' She answered quickly, feeling guilty when Harry seemed somewhat satisfied with her excuse. Feeling guilty for lying, not telling him that his theories regarding Bellatrix were the truth… Feeling guilty that Harry might be in a lot more danger than she was brave enough to admit.

''So… You're telling us McGonagall gave you detention. Again?'' Harry disbelievingly asked Hermione, making Ron snigger.

''Yes.'' Hermione said, tiredly.

''And your first night of detention starts in one hour?'' Harry asked, grinning as Ron chuckled.

''Still can't believe your detention starts tonight. On a _Sunday_!'' Ron exclaimed, and again laughed in good humour when Hermione's face started to heat up in embarrassment.

Hermione nodded and distractedly turned a page. McGonagall was furious with her and Bellatrix - and since the Gryffindor Head of House was sceptical of Hermione's account of events, she gave them a rather harsh punishment.

She didn't consider herself to be a liar or someone that withheld information from her friends to benefit someone else – or to be more precise, to benefit a _Death Eater_.

She couldn't tell them _why_ she got so many detentions, and most importantly – with _whom_ she had them with. Luckily Harry and Ron, however, never minded the details concerning anything much. If they could read an informative conclusion or the bottom line of a journal or book they'd be quite satisfied to ignore the rest... But Hermione knew that the devil always lurked in the detail, and for the first time she didn't mind them not caring about it.

She told them what Horcruxes were and that she got the information from a book, and that proved enough for them. Harry stopped talking about the possibility that Bellatrix was a Death Eater after he learned the horrible truth of what You-Know-Who had done to his soul – and how difficult it would be for him to beat the dark wizard eventually... And Ron seemed to think that You-Know-Who probably had thousands of Horcruxes…

''She gave you two weeks' worth of detentions… I mean, I don't even think my father and Sirius _ever_ got that many in a row.'' Harry continued focussing on her detentions, as he retrieved his potions textbook from his bag.

''I'm looking forward to Potions tomorrow.'' Harry said thoughtfully, paging through the Potions textbook and murmuring a few spells absentmindedly to himself.

''Mate, you need help.'' Ron commented, shaking his head.

''Harry, that textbook could be dangerous…'' Hermione warned, but Ron cut her short.

''Whoever scribbled notes in that book was probably a genius in school, just like you – but he obviously lived on the edge more... Too bad Bellatrix is better than Harry's textbook, though.'' Ron said, with a dark look.

Hermione blushed a bit at the compliment and couldn't help but smirk at Ron, who she noticed, blushed as well.

''It doesn't matter who the best is, just as long as you try your best.'' Hermione reasoned, grinning at the cliché of her own words when Ron and Harry groaned.

''Oh come on! You can't tell me you're happy that Bellatrix is beating you in every module?'' Ron asked, and he laughed when Hermione rolled her eyes.

It was true, she didn't like it at all. But, everybody seemed to forget that Bellatrix was one year older than them and that she _already_ completed her sixth year. Sure, she knew the older theories from thirty years ago, but she still had a better knowledge about wordless magic and the spells in general compared to other sixth years. And she didn't plan to let the Black witch roam with all the glory for too long. She adjusted her schedule to study longer hours and to practice wordless magic until she could challenge Bellatrix.

She was already busy memorising a few defensive spells – Bellatrix was noticeably better than her at duelling, and since the Slytherin witch was a Death Eater that had bested her twice now – she had to up her game.

''I just sort of like doing well in Potions for once – without Snape breathing down my neck.'' Harry shrugged. ''And I luckily won the 'liquid luck' before Bellatrix appeared in our year…''

''Yes. Hopefully the half-blood Prince gets his act together… We can't have the Black sisters beat us in Potions _and_ quiddicth.'' Ron interrupted, looking mockingly determined and Harry chuckled.

''Hey guys.'' Neville greeted them, interrupting the conversation. He nervously took a seat next to Hermione.

''What's up?'' Ron asked, stuffing his mouth with a sandwich he took with him from lunch.

''Nothing much.'' Neville answered in a high voice. Hermione peeked over at Neville and saw that he was sweating profusely. His hands were shaking awkwardly on his lap.

''Mate, you look like you're about to undergo a Transfiguration oral exam.'' Harry remarked.

''I do? I suppose I do… I am slightly nervous about something. Mostly okay though.'' Neville answered distractedly.

''You don't look okay. Did you eat that chicken pie last night? Made me feel queasy too. Think the house-elf that made that pie wanted to poison the students or something.'' Ron said, and shrugged when Hermione gave him a dark look.

''Neville, you obviously have something on your mind?'' Hermione asked, ignoring Ron.

''Yeah. Yes. I uh, just wanted to…uh. I asked Andromeda Black out.'' Neville said, his face turned red when Ron cheered gleefully.

''Good one, Neville!'' Ron slapped a very embarrassed Neville on the back.

''She said no.'' Neville said again, looking worried.

''Oh.'' Ron's face fell, and Hermione saw Harry supressing an awkward grin.

''Did she say why?'' Hermione asked with more composure.

''Said she was still recovering from a previous relationship.'' Neville mumbled.

''Did she…uh… Give you hope that she'll go out with you in the future?'' Hermione asked carefully again, but felt happy that Andromeda didn't mock him for asking her out. She at least seemed kind about it.

''She said she doesn't want to date, but suggested we'd go to Professor Slughorn's party together.''

''That's a good thing, Neville!'' Harry shouted excitedly, nearly knocking over his whole pot of ink.

''Yeah, that's great!'' Hermione smiled, impressed.

''Why is _everyone_ invited to the party except me?'' Ron mumbled, and pressed the rest of the sandwich in his mouth angrily.

''I just want to know… I, well. I struggle to speak when I'm with her. And I start sweating.'' Neville explained, and Hermione nodded. It really looked as if Neville could use a towel, he was drenched.

Ron sniggered and Harry gave him a 'be nice' look.

''Just ask her questions. Ask her what her favourite colour is. What books she reads… Stuff like that.'' Harry ended, apparently out of questions to ask as well. Hermione grinned at his attempt to be of help, but she knew she wouldn't be any wiser, not really… When it came to relationship advice, she was probably the more experienced one of the group – and that was saying something.

''She probably likes quidditch, ask her about that.'' Ron said, thinking hard.

''I thought you hated her ever since she caught the snitch before me?'' Harry asked, grinning.

''Maybe she could give you a few tips, mate.'' Ron retorted cheekily, which earned him a pillow in the face from a laughing Harry.

''I could give you a book. Uh, it's called 'How to Impress Witches'.'' Ron said, and Harry and Hermione grinned. Neville, however looked relieved.

''You have a book?'' Hermione coyly asked. It certainly did explain the random compliments Ron gave her so frequently…

''Fred and George gave it to me on Christmas.'' Ron explained, ignoring Harry's chuckles. ''I'll give it to you tonight, Neville.''

''Thank you, guys. I was disappointed when she said no, but it's not _that_ bad if she asked me out anyway, is it?'' Neville asked, to which the three of them all nodded.

''Great. I'm going to shower.'' Neville announced, making the three of them nod in unison again.

''Is it that bad?'' Neville looked down onto his drenched t-shirt.

''Looks as if you went swimming in the Black lake. No pun intended.'' Harry joked, unfortunately making Neville blush. Yet again.

''I'll give you a calming potion before the party. It'll help.'' Hermione assured him.

''Thanks guys.'' Neville gratefully greeted before walking towards the boys' bathrooms.

''Guess he really does like Andromeda, doesn't he?'' Harry said lightly, and Hermione smirked.

''It _is_ strange that she asked him to join her to Slughorn's party, though. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for the bloke, but the Black family was, or well, _is_ one of _those_ pureblood families. Mom usually said they were elitist purebloods.'' Ron spoke, grabbing a chocolate frog from one of his pockets.

''What does that mean?'' Hermione asked.

''They're elite. More elite than say, the Weasley's.'' Ron explained, his ears reddening.

''I'm not following, Ron.'' Harry answered, and Hermione uncomfortably closed her textbook, already knowing where the conversation was going.

''Uh, they only associated with magical families that are pureblood, and well, rich.'' Ron looked anywhere but Harry and Hermione. ''The Longbottom's are pureblood and richer than we are…'' Ron grumbled, ''but they are known bloodtraitors. To families such as the Black's it's sort of a big deal.''

''Sirius is a Black and he doesn't care about that nonsense. Perhaps Andromeda is the same. Don't get me wrong, I don't trust Bellatrix at all, but her sister seems a lot better. She even ate breakfast this morning at the Hufflepuff table.'' Harry said.

''Yeah, she's different I suppose.'' Ron answered.

''And if Andromeda hopefully one day dates Neville, perhaps we'll see more of Bellatrix. We can figure out where her sympathies lie.'' Harry added determinedly.

''Hopefully Neville gets her to change her mind... Wouldn't hurt to have a Black sister on our side.'' Hermione said, feeling slightly guilty. She _already_ knew on which side the oldest Black witch was, but it couldn't hurt to keep a few more close eyes on her…

''I'd better get going. I need to be at McGonagall's office in a few minutes.'' Hermione announced, checking the time on her watch.

''You still have half an hour.'' Ron argued, looking rather disappointed when Hermione stood from the couch.

''I just want to dress in a different robe before going and my hair is a mess.''

''Why? That robe looks fine and your hair looks like always.'' Ron dismissed her concern and Hermione frowned.

''I'll see you guys tomorrow. Don't wait up for me.'' Hermione greeted curtly, and walked with an irritable expression towards the girls' dormitories.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hermione walked angrily towards Professor McGonagall's office. My hair doesn't always look a mess, does it?

Ron could be such a jerk, and the worst was – he didn't even notice when he was one. Fred and George could buy him thousands of books about romancing witches and he would still forever be clueless. And it didn't help that she suspected that Ron had a crush on her… But, even though he could be the most irritating person on this planet, she definitely valued their friendship and everything they have went through so far. It wasn't always easy for them to be best friends with the Chosen One…

Needless to say, after Ron unknowingly insulted her messy hair, she spent longer than usual trying to style it… Lavender was more than eager to help her and she had to admit - she actually appreciated her help - she looked prettier than normally. She even, after Lavender insisted, dressed into one of her lovelier robes meant for casual occasions. It was apparently sinful to wear Gryffindor robes or 'shabby' Muggles clothes over the weekend…

Sure, it was slightly awkward when she had to explain to Lavender that she wasn't planning on meeting a 'secret admirer' on the seventh floor, and that she indeed only had to attend a detention, but somehow her housemate amusingly didn't believe her.

 _It's honestly not as if I would dress up to impress Bellatrix._

She was just tired that the Black witch always looked better than she did.

And now she was almost running late.

Hermione quickly turned into the corridor that housed Professor McGonagall's office, and she spotted Bellatrix standing against a wall in the distance.

''Hi.'' Hermione greeted, when she finally reached her, but her heart dropped. Bellatrix was immaculately dressed in an emerald green casual robe and her face, without any trace of make-up, looked flawless. As always. But Hermione couldn't help but notice the dark rings underneath Bellatrix's eyes, and she instantly felt worried about her.

''You're almost late.'' Bellatrix said, coolly, eyeing Hermione's robe and hair with interest.

''Yeah, well, I had things to do.'' Hermione said, nonchalantly, but she felt her face heat up.

''Like what?'' Bellatrix asked, pried.

''Nothing.'' Hermione answered, defensively.

''I thought you were single?'' Bellatrix smirked, knowingly. ''Either you had a date _or_ you dressed up for detention.''

Hermione opened her mouth and closed it, and felt angry rather than embarrassed.

''I'm not single.'' Hermione lied, just to save her pride. ''I'm dating someone.''

 _So much for not considering yourself a liar._

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow in surprise. ''Who?'', she asked rather forcefully.

''Ron Weasley.'' Hermione could have kicked herself, but the scowl on Bellatrix's face was worth it.

''You're dating _Weasley_?'' Bellatrix judgmentally stated more than asked.

''Yes. He's funny and friendly, _very_ good at playing quidditch.'' Hermione said, stretching the lie to breaking point.

Bellatrix glared at her after hearing her explanation, but remained silent.

''Professor McGonagall is probably waiting for us.'' Hermione said, breaching the slightly tense atmosphere between them.

''Good evening.'' Professor McGonagall sternly peeked over her glasses when Hermione and Bellatrix walked into her office.

''As it is, I need to be on my way in a few minutes.'' Professor McGonagall grimly announced. ''And you'll be having your detention with Professor Hagrid.''

''The term 'Professor' is rather debatable...'' Bellatrix mumbled, and Hermione turned to give her an undignified stare.

'' _What_? He isn't even qualified…'' Bellatrix began to argue, but Professor McGonagall interrupted her rebuttal.

''Twenty points from Slytherin, Miss Black. And if you're not careful, I'll speak with Professor Dumbledore about _your_ debatable position as a Slytherin Prefect in this school.''

Hermione had to supress a grin when she felt the Black witch tense with anger beside her.

''Make your way to Professor Hagrid's, he is expecting you.'' Professor McGonagall dismissed them with a tone of finality.

Hermione walked out of the office and heard Bellatrix slam the door close behind her. Hermione inspected the door, and was surprised that it was still intact.

''It's pretty easy to offend you.'' Bellatrix commented, and turned on her heal to walk towards Hagrid's.

Hermione eventually caught up with the Black witch, who walked at a very steady pace. She felt very stupid when she had to jog at times to keep up with her. They made it to Hagrid's hut in less than ten minutes, which was quite a feat considering the fact that Professor McGonagall's office was situated within the east tower…

''Now _where_ could _Professor_ Hagrid be?'' She asked sarcastically, and Hermione's head snapped towards Hagrid's hut. The lights were off, the chimney wasn't smoking and Fang was nowhere in sight. She was too busy trying to keep up with Bellatrix that she didn't even notice.

She walked up to Hagrid's front door, and knocked, even though it was clear that he wasn't there.

''Is it true that his wand is an _umbrella_?'' Bellatrix asked, watching Hermione peek through one of the windows. ''Can't imagine an umbrella-wand being much use when you live on the edge of the Dark Forest... Or while goody Dumbledore is more frequently seen outside the school than in it…''

''Do you _ever_ say something nice about anyone?'' Hermione hissed. ''I'm sure Professor Hagrid has a very good reason for being absent.''

''Maybe he forgot.'' Bellatrix popped every word mockingly, making Hermione – if possible, even angrier.

''What are you implying?'' Hermione said.

''Nothing that you're not already thinking.'' Bellatrix smiled evilly.

''Hagrid is very smart.'' Hermione defended the Gamekeeper, and hated the fact that her voice had a slight hesitant edge to it.

''Of course he is.'' Bellatrix agreed with false sincerity, causing Hermione to groan in frustration.

''He knows more about magical creatures than anyone I've ever met – or probably, will ever meet.''

''One would hope so. He practically lives with the creatures. Any idiot would pick up on a habit or two.'' Bellatrix dryly commented.

''If it wasn't for Hagrid's teaching style, or perhaps even his naivety – Sirius would have been dead.'' Hermione said with harshness. ''Sirius escaped on one of the thestrals Hagrid used in one of his classes.''

Bellatrix gripped her left arm absentmindedly, and lazily played with her wand. Hermione was surprised when she didn't ask her to elaborate.

''I still don't think he is qualified to be a teacher, regardless of what he did or did not really do to ensure Sirius' safety.'' Bellatrix stubbornly replied. ''I'd like to see where he keeps the Hogwarts thestrals though.''

''Why?''

''I was never able to see them. I suppose, after unfortunate events in my past, I'd be able to now.'' Bellatrix responded, clearly thinking Hermione's question stupid.

''So you saw someone die?'' Hermione asked.

''Yes.''

''Who?'' Hermione asked again, a little too harshly.

''My mother.''

A very awkward silence filled the night, and Hermione felt sorry for Bellatrix. Her own life seemed to be butterflies and roses compared to what Bellatrix has gone through.

Hermione walked over to the small porch of the hut and sat down tiredly on one of the steps, with her head between her hands.

''You had a _choice_ , you know.'' Hermione suddenly accused Bellatrix. ''You had a choice and you _chose_ to go to You-Know-Who who gave you that mark. You should never have gone to meet him. You could have prevented…''

To Hermione's surprise, Bellatrix began laughing. She watched the beautiful Black witch laugh with an awestruck expression, not knowing how _anything_ about this could be humourful.

''I had a _choice_?'' Bellatrix eventually asked after she gathered herself. ''It was my choice to meet him again, yes. But was it my choice to get branded? No. Was it my choice to get sent thirty years in the future? No. Is it my _choice_ to hold the lives of my sisters in my hands? No.'' Bellatrix spoke, pacing back and forth, kicking the ground as she spoke, and Hermione felt at loss for words.

''I'm sorry.'' Hermione said, wondering why she held her sisters lives in her hands. ''You can always join the Order-''

''Oh _do_ shut up, won't you? Stop being so self-righteous, it's nauseating.'' Bellatrix spat.

''That's unfair, I didn't know-'' Hermione weakly defended herself, and she felt the tears build up in her eyes.

''Then stop pretending you _know_ everything then. Things have never been either black or white in my life… I hardly _ever_ was given a _choice_ by anyone-'' Bellatrix stopped mid-sentence and abruptly drew her wand. Her eyes keenly searched the edges of the forest.

''What is it?'' Hermione whispered, drawing her wand as well.

''Shh…'' Bellatrix irritably replied, taking a few steps forward towards the forest. Hermione curiously followed and her heart skipped a few beats when she heard footsteps somewhere within the forest. Clearly someone was eavesdropping on their conversation, or were at least watching them from afar.

''Come on.'' Bellatrix mumbled, and she quickly began to hasten her steps into the forest, undoubtedly wanting to find out who the person was.

''Are you crazy?'' Hermione whispered. ''Let's get back to the castle!''

'' _You_ go back if you want to.'' Bellatrix sneered. ''Thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave…''

Hermione felt conflicted as she watched Bellatrix walk into the forest with an easy grace, finding it hard not to admire how effortlessly she fought her way through a few overgrown trees.

''Fine.'' Hermione groaned and she picked up her pace to follow Bellatrix, causing a lot more noise than her Slytherin counterpart who waited for her with an irked expression. She silently summoned a silencing charm on her footsteps, listening intently to a noise Hermione definitely couldn't hear.

''Whoever it is isn't far.'' Bellatrix listened, and she abruptly changed her direction away from the footpath they were following, and fought her way through the heavily overgrown forest on their right.

''It could be Hagrid?'' Hermione asked, hardly keeping up behind her, thinking that she should definitely not have worn one of her pretty robes for this excursion.

''We'll hear Hagrid move in this forest from miles away.'' Bellatrix answered quietly, scanning the forest like a predator. Her efforts proved effective to Hermione's dismay, since she heard footsteps again – and it was growing louder by the second.

''Stay here.'' Bellatrix ordered, softly.

'' _What?_ No!'' Hermione whispered angrily. ''I'm not staying here in the middle…''

BANG!

A bright red curse were sent their way, crashing heavily into one of the trees near them. Hermione caught a quick glimpse of the person that tried to curse them in the reflection of the red light, and gasped.

''Bella we need to get out of here!'' Hermione screamed, and without thinking, she grabbed Bellatrix's hand and dragged her backwards behind a large tree – shielding her with both her arms. Their sudden close proximity made her somewhat anxious when she came to her senses after a short while, but Bellatrix luckily didn't seem to notice, in fact, she seemed amused.

''You know him?'' Bellatrix asked, seemingly amused with Hermione's antics. She would have blushed under Bellatrix's animated gaze had it not been for the danger they were in.

''Fenrir Greyback. He's a werewolf.'' Hermione answered. She expected Bellatrix to panic, or to at least show _some_ sort of emotion related to fear, but her expression remained mockingly impassive.

''Relax, it isn't full moon. I'd know.'' Bellatrix said dismissively, releasing her hand from her tight grip, carefully moving away from underneath Hermione's arms.

''With _him_ it doesn't really matter.'' Hermione whispered urgently, still standing behind the tree, watching Bellatrix helplessly as she made her way into the open forest, aiming her wand towards a particular spot.

''He's near. I can smell him.'' Bellatrix whispered eventually and Hermione left out a scared breath.

Bellatrix murmured a spell, and a sudden white light, almost as bright as a sunlight, exposed the dog-like figure of Fenrir Greyback. He was much nearer to them than Hermione expected.

''Stupefy!'' Hermione shouted from behind the tree, and felt relieved when the curse hit the werewolf squarely in the chest, followed a mere second later by a wordless disarming charm Bellatrix had casted. She caught Fenrir's wand swiftly, pocketing it.

Greyback didn't look as if he was able to retaliate, but his furious growling on the forest ground proved that he was still very much a threat to them.

''That was fun.'' Bellatrix gave Hermione a brilliant smile, and she smiled in return despite herself, finally deciding to step away from behind the tree. ''His werewolf blood makes him a lot stronger though.'' Bellatrix added with interest, taking a few steps forward to his struggling body.

Bellatrix peeked a glimpse of Fenrir Greyback's face and raised her wand when he began to speak, his yellow eyes glistened when it scanned her face.

''The rumours don't do you justice, you are much more beautiful in real life. No wonder Rodolphus was so angry when you disappeared...''

His voice caused Hermione's hair to raise in terror. It sounded gruff and raspy, and eerily unhuman. She grudgingly walked closer to Bellatrix with her wand drawn as well.

''Rodolphus Lestrange?'' Bellatrix asked, surprised. ''Why would that brat be angry?''

''The Dark Lord entrusted you to him...'' Fenrir said, as if it was common knowledge.

''My mother would never have allowed it.'' Bellatrix replied, disgusted.

''You're mother didn't know.''

Bellatrix let out a shocked breath.

The werewolf smiled, revealing his bloodstained dog-like teeth. ''And by the looks of it, you didn't know as well.'' Fenrir laughed. ''I was still a young mutt - but I remember how angry he was.'' Fenrir laughed. ''So so angry, poor old Rodolphus... Dark Lord told him to visit your daddy and to _make him pay_... They said your old man gave a good fight.'' He recalled, abruptly smelling the air. ''Roddie is ecstatic that you're back by the way, he just can't _wait_ to see you!''

''I, _personally_ , never minded a bit of _mud_.'' The man-werewolf changed the topic, he smelled the air like a carnivore and his gaze snapped to Hermione's. His yellow eyes travelled hungrily over Hermione's face, causing her to retreat a couple of steps. ''Especially not the pretty ones.'' He made to lift himself from the ground, but a deafening blast from Bellatrix wand sent him backwards onto the forest floor once more.

''How _dare_ you curse your own?'' Fenrir confusedly asked Bellatrix, spitting blood onto the ground.

''What do you mean?'' Bellatrix asked, her dark eyes glared daggers into his. ''I'm _not_ related to you.''

And it suddenly made sense to Hermione: she didn't know who Fenrir Greyback was.

''You can't hurt _me_ , sweet Bella. The Dark Lord won't approve it.'' He crazily laughed, licking his lips.

''Why would the Dark Lord ever think to consider _your_ opinion?'' Bellatrix asked, and the werewolf again laughed hysterically at her cluelessness.

''He's a Death Eater too.'' Hermione informed her, and Bellatrix's shoulders tightened.

''Don't tell me you're _disappointed_?'' Fenrir smiled, again revealing his sharp, now bloodstained, teeth. ''Why do you roam around with _Potter's_ best friend? The Dark Lord won't approve of _that as well..._ And I _heard_ you speak to her out there! Don't even try to deny it!'' Fenrir dementedly warned, pointing a claw-like hand towards the direction of Hogwarts.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably on her feet, wondering how much of their conversation he heard. Wondering whether Bellatrix would actually consider listening to him. Wondering if she would hand her over to You-Know-Who…

''She's believed to be the _brains_ of Potter's pursuits. We would be _rewarded_ , you and I! And the Dark Lord would surely let me have a taste…''

''Silence.'' Bellatrix commanded, and the werewolf surprisingly followed her order, eyeing her wand warily. ''Were you sent by him?''

''Yes.'' Fenrir confirmed. ''You have been ignoring the Dark Lord's calls, _stupid_ girl.'' His eyes travelled to Bellatrix's left arm. ''When the Dark Lord calls, Bella, we _have_ to answer. We have _no choice_.'' He taunted her, and Hermione watched in horror as he lifted his claw-like hand slowly, aiming to press a finger on his Dark Mark.

Bellatrix react faster than lightning, wordlessly cursing him with a spell.

Greyback was thrown backwards against a tree further ahead. His body appeared to be paralysed, but his yellowish eyes were still open, blinking only occasionally.

''Granger, you need to get out of here. Walk sixty steps east and follow the footpath north.'' Bellatrix said, distracted.

''What are you going to do?'' Hermione asked, deciding to stay. She couldn't just leave - and felt a bit annoyed with Bellatrix for dismissing her in the first place.

''Place a memory charm on him.'' Bellatrix answered and for the first time, she sounded unsure of herself.

''It won't work on him – he will regain his memories sooner or later.'' Hermione explained, but she figured Bellatrix knew as much already.

''Why would the Dark Lord make him a Death Eater?'' Bellatrix asked herself. ''I thought he was against half-breeds.''

Hermione didn't respond, and waited patiently for Bellatrix to somehow make sense of everything she just learned. She rather chose to aim her wand at Fenrir Greyback, who still laid paralysed against a tree, but his yellowish eyes were now avidly fixed on her again.

''Why haven't I read a lot about him?'' Bellatrix asked, following his gaze on Hermione with a fuming expression.

''Cornea vivdie.'' Bellatrix cursed him, and his eyes slowly lost its focus on her once more.

''Thanks.'' Hermione said, releasing a nervous breath.

''The curse was supposed to _blind_ him.'' Bellatrix said, disappointedly.

''Oh. Well…'' Hermione responded, unsurely.

''I know who _most_ of the Death Eaters are, although I think I read _something_ … But I thought he was just an avid supporter – never thought him to be a Death Eater.'' Bellatrix explained.

''You were still in Hogwarts when you travelled forward... You probably haven't met him yet.'' Hermione reasoned. ''And the ministry would rather witches and wizards know nothing more than they should as well. Depending on what books you read, you wouldn't find explicit information about every Death Eater - perhaps an Azkaban picture... Or information in old Prophet articles... But there are a lot of rumours, naturally. And he is well known amongst the Order.'' Hermione answered, her wand still raised and pointed at Fenrir.

When Bellatrix remained silent, Hermione turned to look at her.

Bellatrix was staring at something next to Fenrir's body. Her wand was trembling in her hands and she looked...hesitant.

''Bellatrix, what's wrong?'' Hermione asked, panicking. She raised her wand to the spot next to Fenrir, but apart from the cold forest breeze and the Death Eater's paralysed form, nothing was amiss.

''I don't think I can.'' Bellatrix finally spoke, clearly to _someone_ , sounding frightened.

''Who are you speaking to?'' Hermione hissed. ''Accio cloak!'' She tried, thinking that it could be someone underneath an invisibility cloak, disappointed when a cloak didn't come soaring towards her.

Hermione helplessly watched as Bellatrix straightened her posture proudly, before muttering:

''Avada Kedavra!''

A green light lit up the area, and Hermione watched in gut-wrenching shock as the yellow eyes of Fenrir Greyback lost its life.

x

x

x


	11. Chapter 11

''NO! Bellatrix! You _killed_ him?! We could have captured him, we could have taken him back to Hogwarts, we could have - !'' Hermione shouted, but lost her words - she fell unceremoniously on the forest floor, watching the now completely lifeless yellow eyes of the Fenrir Greyback.

He was dead and she should've been _elated_. But she wasn't. She saw someone die before her eyes for the first time in her life and it was… Awful.

''Don't be so dramatic. Besides, if the Order caught him he would have gone to Azkaban. It seems as if Death Eaters have a lot of luck breaking out of there…'' Bellatrix defended herself, crossing her arms. As if killing the werewolf didn't matter to her in any way.

''There could have been another way! Don't you somehow care that you… _killed_ him?'' Hermione asked, knowing she was foolish to care about a dead Fenrir Greyback, but she couldn't help herself. Bellatrix was one of _them_ , after all. Needless to say, she _never_ expected Bellatrix to kill him.

''Don't be stupid! You _saw_ the way he looked at you! You would've been _mutilated_ by this werewolf – in more ways than one, mind you. And he wanted to summon the Dark Lord… I couldn't allow that.'' Bellatrix said, clearly very frustrated that Hermione wasn't somehow glad that she murdered him. ''I had to kill him.''

''Someone told you to!'' Hermione argued, hating it that she felt somehow…flattered…that Bellatrix cared more about her safety than that of a Death Eater. But she couldn't trust her reasoning, _could_ she? And who was it that she spoke to?

''It was…'' Bellatrix hesitated, as if she just remembered herself. ''It was my mother. She told me to kill him. And I did.''

''You honestly can't expect me to believe that, your mother is dead.'' Hermione reminded her, with as much sympathy as she could muster.

''I know, okay?'' Bellatrix said, bewildered. ''I don't know, she just 'appeared'. She told me to kill him… I felt, strangely, okay to cast the spell. It felt good…'' Bellatrix trailed off topic, but Hermione interrupted her.

''It felt _good_? Merlin, who _are_ you?'' Hermione asked.

'' _Listen_ , I have a feeling that I did a lot of people a favour by killing him. And anyway, depending how my year unfolds - whatever I do during this time, could be made undone.''

'' _What_? So you can go back?'' Hermione asked. ''This is _seriously_ fucked up.''

''Language, Granger.'' Bellatrix mumbled, irritably.

''Oh forgive me for using a foul word, I'd hate to remind you that you just killed someone.'' Hermione replied tartly.

''Pull yourself together.'' Bellatrix whispered warningly. ''We need to get rid of the evidence somehow.''

''There is no 'we' here.'' Hermione waved a finger between the two of them.

''I think there is.'' Bellatrix replied sarcastically. ''If someone would stumble onto this _now_ , or come to suspect the two of us, they'd blame you – not me.''

Hermione's hearts sank. Of course they would. She was basically a known underage member of the Order, and the Order did fight to kill at times... And who would believe her if she accused Bellatrix of being a Death Eater? Bellatrix could keep her Dark Mark hidden with hundreds of different spells… And she was the media's new sweetheart. Fuelled of course by the heart-warming articles Rita Skeeter wrote about Bellatrix being in _absolute_ distress and turmoil after her mother and father passed. And she wasn't certain what Death Eaters thought of each other, but she _was_ certain that they _never_ killed each other without permission from You-Know-Who.

''Granger!'' Bellatrix yelled. ''Do you have an idea how we could get rid of his body or not?''

Hermione lifted her wand and transfigured his body into a bone, feeling disgusted with herself for helping...

''A _bone_? And you think I'm heartless.'' Bellatrix commented dryly, observing the bone with a disapproving expression.

''What does it matter? It's not as if I had a chance to read his epitaph.''

Bellatrix rolled her eyes at her dripping sarcasm, and raised her wand to bury the bone without formality. ''We need to go back to Hagrid's.''

''And what will we tell him if he's waiting for us? Oh, _so_ sorry we're late Hagrid. We just quickly followed a _deranged_ Death Eater into the forest, murdered and buried him –''

''I plan to be a _little_ more discrete than that.'' Bellatrix interrupted. ''And you need to stop blaming me. Fenrir wouldn't have cared if I killed you, or anyone else on the Light Side for that matter.''

''Oh silly me. You know, that might be the very thing that distinguishes the Dark from Light Side - we actually have a bit of humanity within us to care about others, _regardless_ of sides.'' Hermione said, finally attempting to stand from the rough surface, but struggled. ''It's why I care about _you_.'' Hermione added without thinking, and Bellatrix opened her mouth to reply but closed it abruptly.

For the first time that night Bellatrix was at loss for words - she looked absolutely livid.

'' _Bollocks_. You're a _nosy_ Miss Know-It-All that interferes with matters that never concerned you in the first place. You probably do it because you think you care about _Potter_ , but you do it because you're obsessed with _me_.'' Bellatrix argued, but her anger was nothing compared to what Hermione felt.

''That's _unfair_! You were never ever really _discrete_ \- I probably know more about your circumstances than your sisters do! Do _they_ know you've been branded? It's like you _wanted_ me to be involved!'' Hermione argued, feeling outraged. Yes, fine, she had a _very_ slight crush on her and she was curious, maybe even intrigued with her- but _obsessed_? She was furious that Bellatrix twisted her intentions into something that seemed so completely... _wrong_ _._

Bellatrix broke eye-contact with Hermione's deathly stare, and released a breath of frustration.

''Look, I don't _want_ to argue. And we really need to get out of here. If the Dark Lord sent Greyback, he might come looking for him if he doesn't return.'' Bellatrix eventually explained rather uneasily.

'' _What_?'' Hermione gasped. ''Thanks for telling me now...''

But she didn't move, _couldn't_ move. She was still too angry with Bellatrix, too shocked to trust the weight on her legs after seeing a man die - and she leaned against a tree for support. She silently motivated herself for a few seconds and Bellatrix watched her in silence, but she seemed relieved when Hermione got new life injected in her legs, standing more strongly.

''Let's go.'' Bellatrix wasting no time, and she slid her arm around Hermione's waist in a tight grip. She started to guide them back to the school at a very fast pace. Hermione was a taken aback with Bellatrix's antics – and silently hated that she actually needed the support the other witch gave her.

The forest was eerily quiet and the wind much colder on their way back, and she sighed in relief when the outskirts of Hogwarts finally began to appear through the forest canopy.

''We're almost there.'' Bellatrix broke the tense silence between them, and she released her arm from Hermione's with a slight hesitance. ''Hagrid hasn't returned yet.''

''Strange.'' Hermione commented, without gracing the other witch a glance. She observed the hut as they continued walking towards it - happy that she regained most of the stability she lost. She passed Bellatrix before her and glanced towards the outskirts of Hogwarts' borders. She could have sworn she saw a flickers of light in the distance.

''Something is wrong.'' Hermione whispered.

Bellatrix stopped and drew her wand, giving Hermione an expectant glare.

''What is it?'' She asked Hermione, trailing a few steps behind her.

''Lights flickering from wands, near the road that leads to Hogsmeade.''

''Could be the Order -'' Bellatrix suggested, holding her wand loosely in her right hand.

''How strange is it that Hagrid isn't here… And then we just _happen_ to run into a Death Eater? Tell me, did your mark burn or heat up while we were away from the castle?'' Hermione asked Bellatrix, who guiltily looked away.

''It _did_?'' Hermione gasped.

''Yes, but it has been burning ever since I got it. It's still healing, so I didn't pay much attention to it.''

''Something happened tonight. McGonagall had to leave and Hagrid isn't here… I think the Order and the Death Eaters got into a fight.'' Hermione guessed.

''Don't be stupid.'' Bellatrix argued, but she looked unconvinced.

''Did your mark burn painfully, or more painfully than always, when you killed Greyback?''

Bellatrix pointedly looked away and Hermione groaned.

'' _Shit_!'' Hermione exclaimed, and Bellatrix clutched her left arm in a guiltily, stubbornly refusing eye-contact with her.

''You-Know-Who _knows_. _They_ know he's dead. There must be some sort of connection between the Dark Marks on your arms and You-Know-Who…''

''It could be anyone out there –''

''Lift your sleeve.'' Hermione impatiently told Bellatrix, pointing her wand towards her left arm.

''No.'' Bellatrix refused, flatly.

'' _Bellatrix_! We need to know what it says… We can't just waltz back to Hogwarts from the Dark Forest with a bunch of Death Eaters possibly watching us from a far. You can't be seen with _me_ of all people– and we certainly can't look like friends.'' Hermione said, irritably.

''That's easy, it's not as if we are.''

''Indeed, but we're still unfortunately stuck with each other here. Due to you.'' Hermione accused her.

''Nobody forced you to follow me into the forest.'' Bellatrix said, and Hermione could have sworn she softly heard her mumble 'mudblood' underneath her breath, but that was the last of her concerns now.

She was surprised when Bellatrix eventually, but reluctantly, lifted sleeve away from her still red and puffy looking Dark Mark on her arm.

''It basically says 'Hogsmeade' and 'Dark Forest'.'' Bellatrix read from her arm, effectively pulling Hermione from her thoughts.

''Basically? What else?'' Hermione asked curtly.

''Coordinates. Possibly where they met up.'' Bellatrix mumbled disengaged, straightening her green sleeve over her mark again.

''Do you think he knows who killed him?'' Bellatrix asked, abruptly.

''I don't know.'' Hermione genuinely answered. ''But they look as if they're moving towards us…'' She glanced at the lightened up wands that were moving ever closer to them, and let out an angry sigh.

''We need to think of something quickly.'' Hermione said. ''We need to get out of here.''

''You can hide. I'll join them.'' Bellatrix silently decided, straightening her robe.

''What if they know that it was you who killed him?'' Hermione asked, hating that her voice betrayed her worry - she wouldn't want to come across as _obsessed_ or anything.

''I don't think so…'' Bellatrix replied, deep in thought. ''If he knew, the Dark Lord would have summoned me personally.''

''Hasn't he? Fenrir did say that you've been ignoring him?'' Hermione asked.

''No, he hasn't. And I have been ignoring him, so its best if I just…join the others now, before the Dark Lord gets even more suspicious about me.'' Bellatrix said, without a trace of emotion written on her face.

''What if he punishes you?'' Hermione asked, and despite being angry with her, she despised it that Bellatrix wanted to go off with them… ''What if he reads your mind and sees what you've, what _we've_ done?''

''I've been strengthening my defences.'' Bellatrix dismissed her concern.

''I don't want you to go.'' Hermione swallowed her pride.

''Granger, I've decided. I need to catch up with them.'' Bellatrix stepped forward and walked towards the flickering lights. Hermione could hear them talking to one another, she could have sworn she heard Malfoy's laugh at something someone said…

''Rodulphus will be there…'' Hermione tried, and she felt overjoyed when Bellatrix stopped in her tracks.

''Granger, get out of here.'' She whispered, almost urgently.

''What if they find out what we did? My life is on the line here as well. I don't want you to go.'' Hermione reasoned stubbornly - she had a death threat on her name as it was already, whether they would think her responsible for Greyback's death or not, but _still_...

''Meet me later at the Room of Requirement. Wait for me there.'' Bellatrix said.

''Why should I?''

''Because...I _trust_ you.'' Bellatrix whispered, looking very agitated that she had to admit that much to convince Hermione.

''Fine.'' Hermione whispered, and even though she was still angry with Bellatrix, she reluctantly felt affection fill her heart for the witch.

''Go!'' Bellatrix hissed, before resuming her steps towards the other Death Eaters.

Hermione murmured a silencing charm on her footsteps before taking off into the opposite direction. She didn't dare glance backwards, knowing how close they were…

She eventually stopped running after a while and gathered her breath.

She made her way slowly towards a spot where she could safely glance towards the site she last saw Bellatrix, and when she didn't see anyone – or a wand that was lit, she knew that they probably moved deeper into the forest – knowing that it was finally safe to make her way over to Hogwarts.

Walking hastily, her thoughts travelled back to Bellatrix. She hoped that she was fine, that she wouldn't need to meet with You-Know-Who again. After all, even if he didn't know that it was Bellatrix that killed Greyback, she was still in trouble for ignoring him. And Greyback was sent by You-Know-Who to spy on Bellatrix…

But how did the Death Eater know that they would be having detention at Hagrid's? And where was he? McGonagall did say that he was expecting them… The school definitely wasn't as well protected as she always thought it was…

Hermione sighed in relief when she finally entered the school, and she quickly made her way to the Room of Requirement to wait for the Black witch that made her _so angry_ \- but also so worried, at the same time.

x

x

x

 **So yeah... :) This is a slow-burner, I didn't plan for it to be so slow, but things will pick up pace - promise. ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

Bellatrix jogged towards the Room of Requirement.

It was feeble of her – _jogging_ to meet a _mudblood_ out of all people. Even telling _the same_ mudblood that she, Bellatrix Black, _trusted_ her.

She supposed she _did_ trust her, but why admit it to her?

Bellatrix stopped jogging and leaned against a wall, catching her breath. She had to think _everything_ over before she met Granger…

Should she tell her about the Rosier's Prophecy?

Because if she didn't, would Granger be tempted to go to Dumbledore? If she hasn't already… What's to say she isn't just a spy for Potter?

She would have told Dumbledore that she's a Death Eater. Will tell him that she killed Greyback. And he might involve her in the Order. Dumbledore would make her a double agent just as Snape is.

And what Dumbledore and the Dark Lord failed to grasp is that she didn't belong to _either_ side. She didn't belong to anyone. Her independence was _everything_. The Dark Lord once promised her freedom to explore magic without caring about its limitations or its consequences – and he lied.

He placed a death threat over her sisters. He even _entrusted_ her to Rodolphus Lestrange. She was always just an object for him to _use_ as he saw fit.

She realised with reluctance that Andromeda was right. Her mother wanted to protect them, mostly her, from the Dark Lord. And the more her mother intervened the more restricted she felt – the more she was drawn to _him_ …

 _I was a fool. Granger was right – I once had a choice and I chose an irreversible fate. And I cannot be blinded by anyone again. I will not trust anyone again – except if it is for my own gain._

Her mother and father paid the price for her foolishness. Her mother must have been desperate…. Perhaps even her father knew more than what she gave him credit for… She was proud to know that her father died fighting. He didn't beg before the likes of a Lestrange.

And she will avenge Rodolphus Lestrange for killing him.

The thoughts of Rodolphus angered her. She joined the other Death Eaters in the forest earlier with reluctance - and he was the first bastard that greeted her. Like a long lost friend. A long lost _companion_. He was obviously much older than what she remembered – his good-looks that used to make other witches her age squirm were gone. His brother Rabastan was always the more composed one out of the two, but even he seemed…on the edge. They were both rash young men in her time, but now they were hollow and soulless.

One could understand of course, they were both in Azkaban. They were war veterans of the Dark Side and looked it. Neither of them married. Unfortunately.

It was obvious that Rodolphus still thought that the Dark Lord's offer stood. And Yaxley and Dolohov found his unsuccessful advances _hilarious_ -who were much more recognisable in their demeanor than the Lestrange brothers.

Yaxley asked whether her mark has healed yet, but apart from that – and apart from Rodolphus' flirting, nobody spoke to her that much.

To them she was just a seventeen year old witch with no experience in war or in serving the Dark Lord.

Her competitive nature wanted nothing more than to prove them wrong – but she suppressed that urge.

This year, like Snape said, was about _surviving_.

Snape wasn't present though, and Lucius said something about him being sent on a mission by the Dark Lord. And she knew it had something to do with the Order –he was busy playing both sides.

Lucius was, unlike the others, very uncomfortable in her presence. He told her with childish pride that he was the Dark Lord's _most_ loyal and _most_ valuable follower. His _right-handed_ man.

She could understand his… _immaturity_ – they were the same age, or used to be, and for years she bested him in every way possible at Hogwarts. But he was never reluctant to make eye-contact with her – like he was now. It humoured her, in a way – seeing an uncomfortable Lucius, but she overlooked it.

She was still too cautious of the Dark Lord being angry with her. And when she asked Lucius whether all was well, he told her not to worry – saying that the Dark Lord knew that a newly branded mark couldn't transfer messages as effectively as healed marks.

And she didn't believe him.

The reason Greyback was in the forest in the first place was to spy on her… Why would the Dark Lord bother to send him if he wasn't suspecting of her?

It was also clear that Malfoy and the others were in the forest to search for his body, even though nobody _told_ her what the mission was.

She, perhaps, was not _worthy_ of an explanation. So she took advantage of Rodophus' perverse interest in her and asked him what the 'mission' was.

As expected and to Malfoy's irritation, he eagerly began to explain why they were all summoned. The Dark Lord somehow knows when one of them dies, and when he realised Greyback was dead, he ordered them all to retrieve his body and to seek evidence.

And by the looks of it, the other Death Eaters were not so happy to do it.

Greyback wasn't too popular even amongst them.

And it _was_ rather dull to walk around in the dark forest while Malfoy led them on the wrong path for the _utmost_ time… But when he finally began to lead them onto the correct path, she got nervous. What if they somehow found out that she was the culprit?

Her worries were fruitless, though. The Death Eaters didn't find any proof and weren't so interested to investigate the scene.

Dolohov smiled when Malfoy transformed the bone back to its 'human' form and Rabastan speculated that it was Dumbledore himself that killed him. His werewolf-blood made him an invincible target for most witches and wizards…

But Malfoy and Rodolphus were smarter.

They believed that Greyback probably never expected the wizard he challenged to cast the Killing Curse.

And they were right. Except for the 'wizard' part...

Greyback considered her to be one of _them_ … She knew also, that if her mother didn't tell her to kill him – she wouldn't have done it.

She _really_ had to discuss _that_ with Snape – how was it possible for her mother to just 'appear'? Whatever the reason - her mother's patronus-like form was _adamant_ that she had to kill him.

She knew her mother didn't exactly have a _conventional_ moral compass, but she was certain that she never would have told her to kill if it wasn't a necessity.

Which it was, Bellatrix realised now. It was life-and-death decision – whether Granger realised it too was beside the point. She chose ' _life_ ' – not _only_ for herself, but for Granger and her sisters as well. Greyback would have told the Dark Lord everything he overheard – would have told him that she protected Granger, Potter's best friend... The implications would have been devastating.

Ultimately - Malfoy told Pettigrew to apparate away with Greyback's body.

Pettigrew was yet _another_ embarrassing Death Eater – he was squeaky and nervous, definitely too unfit to participate in their forest expedition. He constantly trailed far behind them, nervously calling out for Lucius to wait for him… It was a pathetic sight.

She didn't ask _dear_ Lucius where Pettigrew took Greyback's body – she didn't want to know. She did, however, want to know why most of the Hogwarts teachers were absent.

And Rodolphus in his eagerness to impress her told her with a wide, old grin.

Sirius Black was back.

And he got himself into trouble with Rookwood and Avery that were tracing him. The Order and the Death Eaters were summoned to the commotion, but when Dumbledore appeared the Death Eaters had to fight their way out... Avery and Rookwood got hurt badly, but there were no fatalities. It's only after they all managed to escape the Order's attack that they got the news about Greyback's death.

Whoever it was that killed Greyback was according to the Dark Lord not part of the Order or the Death Eaters.

The Dark Lord is intrigued with an idea that there might be an independent uprising somewhere – something Lucius found unlikely by the way he scoffed when Rodolphus told her.

An independent movement would be problematic for the Order and Death Eaters, since they would be even less sure of who they could trust...

When Lucius later dismissed them, she couldn't help but feel as if she dodged a dangerous spell. She didn't have to meet up with the Dark Lord – and nobody suspected her for killing Greyback. For now, she thought, her age and her inexperience counted in her favour. Nobody thought her a threat, perhaps only the Dark Lord questioned her loyalty… But even _he_ couldn't be sure. He _wasn't_ sure. Otherwise he never would've sent Greyback to spy on her. And who would think a seventeen year old witch capable of killing Greyback?

The Dark Lord's uncertainty counted in her favour too. She would just have to act _incompetent_ , perhaps even _scared_ about her new position as a Death Eater– if they expected her to have the abilities of a teenage witch, she could play that role.

 _It's the one you underestimate that orchestrates your downfall._ That's what her mother used to say – and how right she was.

And now she was undecided. Should she involve Granger into her own mess more than she has already? She had to admit - knowing that Granger was in the castle waiting for her was somewhat comforting. It shouldn't have been. How could some nosy _mudblood_ be a comfort to _her_? It was irrational. And even if it wasn't for the fact that she was a mudblood, she was still Potter's friend.

The decision was surprisingly hard to make –

She would leave Granger out of her life from now on. She just had to _trust_ her not to go to Dumbledore – and in a way, she knew that Granger wasn't a whistle-blower. Because if she was, Dumbledore would have known everything already... She could but hope.

And maybe Granger would be relieved. What sane person would want to associate with a Death Eater that travelled thirty years forward in time? Why would Granger even want to risk associating with someone such as herself? _Nobody_ bloody would. Yes, Granger wouldn't seek her out again. She would stay clear - she was sure of it.

All she had was her family – and even her sisters were skeptical of her. Andromeda stopped following her around and now ignored her. It was if she didn't exist to her middle sister anymore. After the Shrieking Shack incident, they didn't even discuss a thing. In fact, Andy warned her to stay away from her. And Narcissa, well, who knew what her youngest sister thought? It wasn't as if she was around to be of any comfort to her lately.

Bellatrix decided to go to bed and ignored guilty feeling as she strolled away from the Room of Requirement towards the dungeons.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Next morning**

Bellatrix made her way out of the Slytherin common room, alone as she preferred it, and was aware that Pansy slipped out of the common room moments behind her.

''Good morning Bellatrix!'' Pansy eventually greeted, after trying to catch up with Bellatrix for a good two minutes.

''Had a nice sleep?'' She ironically asked after a while. Her eyes travelled over the dark rings underneath Bellatrix's eyes.

''Yes, you?'' Bellatrix lied nonchalantly.

''Yes, thanks. Enjoying the Head Girls' quarters?'' Pansy asked. She was trying her best to keep up with Bellatrix's pace and it reminded her of Granger. Strangely, when the Gryffindor tried to keep up with her it amused her – when Pansy did it it was _plainly_ annoying.

''Yes. Nobody disturbs me.'' Bellatrix replied with a cold edge.

''That's nice.'' Pansy said in a way that clearly found nothing nice about it. ''I was wondering, Bellatrix, whether you would help me with my Charms assignment? I would have asked you over the weekend, but since you are, like, _never_ in the Slytherin common room, I was –''

''Even if I was and you did ask, I would have said no.'' Bellatrix cut her short, and smiled when Pansy let out an insulted gasp.

''I heard your _sisters_ speak about you this weekend, is it true that you want to be a Death Eater?'' She deadpanned, and Bellatrix stopped dead in her tracks. She eyed her housemate with distaste while hiding the pang of hurt she felt that her sisters _gossiped_ about her behind her back, worse – they gossiped while others could _hear_ them…

''Who says I'm not one already?'' Bellatrix humoured her, gathering her wit.

'' _Wow_.'' Pansy breathed out, eyeing Bellatrix with a lot more respect or… _desire_ than she previously did.

 _Did I honestly just turn Pansy on? With an empty assumption? How_ stupid _was this witch? Most would demand proof, especially Slytherin's... The amount of Slytherin's that claimed to be Death Eaters were too many to count after all…_

''I thought that maybe, you know – considering the fact that Andromeda is so kind towards the scum in the school and, I mean, Sirius Black is your cousin and Potter's godfather – I thought that the Black family might be lenient towards mudbloods and bloodtraitors.''

''You thought wrong.''

''Great!'' Pansy gave her a bright smile. ''So you wouldn't mind assisting Grabbe and I during lunch to today? We plan to teach that Granger mudblood a lesson? We plan to corner her during lunch and –''

SLAP!

Bellatrix didn't even bother to get out her wand. She slapped Pansy without hesitance, and watched her housemate crawl on the floor – her eyes wide with fear.

''Why?'' Pansy sobbed.

''For thinking _I'd_ be interested in your mundane pursuits. Don't you know _who I am_?'' Bellatrix crouched to get closer to Pansy, demanding eye contact.

''Well, I _do_ –'' Pansy cried, but Bellatrix lifted up a hand to silence her.

'' _Toujours Pur_.'' Bellatrix hissed, and she removed her sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark. ''Don't _ever_ ask _me_ to do anything _._ ''

Pansy's eyes widened in understanding, and without uttering another word, she scrambled onto her feet and ran back towards the common room. Bellatrix watched her go with indifference, suppressing the urge to curse the witch as she ran...

 _Who does Pansy think she is? Asking me to help her with a Charms assignment?! Talking about my sisters?! Planning to teach Granger a lesson? The damned mudblood is twice the witch she is! Granger would curse her into a pulp, if she wasn't so self-righteous, that is… That's Granger's problem – thinking she's better than the problem itself. Thinking that she knows everything – even though she might be very hot while she did -_

Bellatrix held her head to silence herself. Granger was nothing but a nuisance. She didn't even know her that well. And her anger with Pansy had nothing to do with the mudblood.

She decided to make her way to the Great Hall. She couldn't remember the last time she actually ate anything… And she was starting to get thinner – the dark rings underneath her eyes were betraying her physical state, and she had to take better care of herself.

Her mood somewhat bettered when she saw Cissy at the Slytherin table, eating breakfast with the Greengrass girl. Under closer inspection, however, she realised that Narcissa seemed upset about something.

''Good morning Cissy.'' Bellatrix greeted her younger sister, and swiftly took a seat right across from her. She nodded her head to Cissy's friend, who shyly mumbled a good morning in return.

''What's wrong?'' Bellatrix asked, and Cissy angrily pointed to the Daily Prophet placed neatly on the table before her.

''Rita Skeeter.'' Cissy replied, softly.

Bellatrix almost smiled. Her younger sister looked so much like their mother when she was angry – only the two of them could make 'anger' look somehow comforting.

''And?'' Bellatrix replied calmly, knowing her younger sister would erupt in a rant any second now.

''She wrote that mother and father funded the Dark Lord's cause, and that they wanted the three of us to become Death Eaters. She _then_ went on and wrote that we _refused_ to abide to their wishes, and therefore _we all_ decided to escape them by travelling forward in time. Also, she called mother a dark and deranged witch.'' Cissy ended, her beautiful young face turned red with anger.

''It's all lies.'' Bellatrix replied calmly. She knew that newspapers were writing extensively about them, she just never thought that journalists would be so _creative_ with their lies.

''I know! She's been writing lies about us solidly for one week now!'' Cissy complained, looking relieved that Bellatrix finally knew about her daily torment.

''This is unacceptable.'' Bellatrix agreed, but to be truthful – the Skeeter woman and her 'exclusive' articles were the last thing that worried her.

''So… What are you going to do about it?'' Cissy asked, smirking slyly in anticipation.

Bellatrix was caught off guard. _Of course_ Cissy expected her to something. In the past she would have jumped at the chance to restore her family's honour – especially if someone dared to insult their mother, but now she just didn't have the time… Or the interest…

''Could you excuse us please?'' Bellatrix asked Cissy's friend who was listening to their conversation closely.

''Uh… Yes! Sorry. See you later Cissy.'' The Greengrass girl jumped out of her seat and quickly disappeared into a crowd of students that were leaving the hall as well.

''You didn't have to tell her to leave.'' Cissy rolled her eyes.

''This is a family matter.'' Bellatrix said.

''It's not as if you've been around much, you know? At least Astoria has been a great support to me.'' Cissy icily accused Bellatrix.

''I've been busy, Cissy.'' Bellatrix answered flatly. ''Things are complicated.''

''Why? Are we in danger or something?'' Cissy's asked, not beating around the bush at all.

''No. I'm doing what I –''

''Does it involve the Dark Lord?'' Cissy interrupted her.

''If you stop interrupting me I might get a word out, _Narcissa_.'' Bellatrix felt satisfied when her sister's head dropped fleetingly in apology. ''We are not. But, we could be. So I'm doing what I can to protect us all. And if you and Andy could stop gossiping about me _while_ others are overhearing, I might come to trust you two. _Perhaps_ I'll even tell you everything I've been up to.''

''We are worried about you!'' Cissy guiltily defended herself, but her face blushed red again – this time in shame. ''You hardly ever show up for breakfast, lunch or dinner and when you do it looks as if you haven't slept at all.''

''Stop worrying and gossiping about me then. I will not ask you again.'' Bellatrix replied with authority.

'' _Should_ we be worried?'' Cissy asked.

''No. I have everything under control.'' Bellatrix calmly assured her sister with a forced smile, pleased when Cissy visibly relaxed at her reassurance. Her youngest sister always had an undying trust in her abilities.

And in a way that always motivated her to succeed, but circumstances were different now – she was dealing with a time and a world she didn't mature with and for the first time in her life she was unsure of what the outcome may be for her and her sisters.

''Fine. But if you need help, Andy and I will always assist you.'' Cissy smiled comfortingly. ''I for one, _unlike_ Andy, don't care whether or not you are a Death Eater. But _wherever_ you disappear to – don't be foolish. Be careful, so that we can _all_ go back when the time comes. I'm not sure I can deal with another loss.'' Cissy said sadly.

Bellatrix was unsure of what to make of her younger sisters distress, so she decided to remain silent.

''So, seeing that you _do_ have things under control – what are you going to do about Skeeter?'' Cissy smirked again, ignoring Bellatrix's discomfort, clearly thinking that _nothing_ on her mind could be as important as the Skeeter witch's lies.

''I think the question is, Cissy – what are _you_ going to do about it?'' Bellatrix smiled, despite her own worry.

Cissy's ice blue eyes widened in delight.

'' _You'll_ let _me_ handle Rita Skeeter?'' Cissy asked, astonished.

''Yes.'' Bellatrix answered, simply.

'' _Thank_ you, Bella! I can't wait to teach that vulgar witch a lesson…''' Cissy laughed excitedly, as if she couldn't believe her luck.

 _She must truly hate that Skeeter witch_.

''I _won't_ disappoint you. Oh, can I tell Astoria?'' Cissy smiled, getting up from her seat.

''If you trust her, I suppose.'' Bellatrix responded boredly.

''I'll keep you up to date.'' Cissy winked before leaving the Great Hall with an impressive pace.

Bellatrix watched her sister leave with a slight smile that quickly disappeared when she saw Hermione – or _Granger_ – walk into the hall, glaring daggers at her.

Bellatrix guiltily looked away at the rather…pretty sight, but when she realised that the Gryffindor was making her way over to the Slytherin table, she abruptly stood up to leave.

 _What was Granger thinking? She couldn't possibly have it in her to confront me? Before everyone?_

How wrong she was, she hardly made it to the end of the Slytherin table when Granger lunged forward to grab hold of her cloak, holding her in place.

''What are you doing?'' Bellatrix hissed at Granger, knowing full well that students were watching their exchange with interest. Some of the Slytherins even stood from their seats – ready to attack Granger if she did something stupid.

''Where were you?'' Granger angrily asked.

''Is there a problem Bellatrix?'' Marcus Flint asked, beckoning his head towards Granger.

''Of course not.'' Bellatrix explained to everyone within earshot. '' _Right_ , Granger?''

 _Didn't she know how foolish she was acting?_

''I was worried.'' Granger whispered, and to Bellatrix's relief – nobody seemed to hear her say _that_.

''Let go of me.'' Bellatrix released herself from Granger's grip, and walked out of the hall as quickly as she could. She groaned loudly when Granger followed her.

''We need to talk!'' Granger said loudly. Students were still watching the two of them curiously from inside the hall. And Bellatrix had no choice but to accept. Her reluctance to face Granger weighed less than her reluctance to cause a scene.

''Fine.'' Bellatrix spat. ''Follow me.''

Bellatrix made her way towards an empty classroom on the second floor, and waited patiently for Granger at every turn. She didn't look too good… Granger's sanity was seemingly having on a thread.

She was so sure that Granger would probably leave her be after everything they went through the previous night – she didn't expect _at all_ that the Gryffindor would care so much.

As soon as Bellatrix closed the classroom door behind them, and murmured a few anti-eavesdropping charms, Granger let loose.

''Where _were_ you!? I waited for you for hours! You're just _using_ me or something, aren't you? I'm just part of your silly game, aren't I? I should go to Dumbledore and tell him everything. _Everything_! Because I saw you kill a man, Bellatrix! And then you go off with _them_ … And you don't _bother_ to keep your promise? I was literally sick with worry!'' Granger screamed, she positively beside herself.

And then, she started to cry.

''I was busy.'' Bellatrix replied awkwardly, not knowing what to say. She feebly handed over a handkerchief with the Black crest imprinted on it, and Granger refused it.

'' _Busy_? Oh, okay then. _No_ biggie! Bellatrix was _busy_!'' Granger taunted her, wiping tears away with her own handkerchief. ''Now that makes _everything_ alright now, doesn't it? I thought you were dead. _What_ if they knew you _killed_ him? They could have _hurt_ you, you know? And I sat around last night _waiting_ like –''

'' _Granger_! I'm fine.'' Bellatrix rolled her eyes. ''I'm alive and well, thank you very much. And I can look after myself, I'm reasonably adept, if I _may_ say so myself.'' Bellatrix snidely remarked, she was irked beyond belief by Granger's concern – and also…well, quite surprised.

''Oh yes, you _are_ adept! You even killed a man!'' Granger replied with mocking awe.

''I had to, Granger.''

''My name is 'Hermione'! _Hermione_! Refer to me by my name or don't bother at all.''

'' _Hermione_!'' Bellatrix mocked her tone of voice, impressed that she mimicked Hermione's tone almost to perfection. She couldn't help but laugh when Hermione gave her another death glare.

''It isn't funny, Bella!''

'''Bella' is a derivation of my first name that _only_ my family members use.'' Bellatrix retorted coldly, fighting away a smirk.

''Bella!''

''Stop it.''

''No. Bella! _Bella_!'' Hermione now taunted, tears were still streaming down her face as she did.

'' _This_ is ridiculous.'' Bellatrix laughed, shaking her head. She had had enough of _Granger's_ tantrum and she began to make her way out of the classroom.

''No, what's ridiculous is that you killed someone last night because your mommy told you to.''

Bellatrix turned around abruptly and slowly raised her wand. She didn't understand _this_ … What was _this_ about? She didn't like her retort _one bit_.

''Oh, _now_ your serious?'' Hermione raised her wand as well. ''What, will your mommy tell you to kill me as well?''

''Surprised she hasn't yet, _filth._ '' Bellatrix replied softly.

''I may be a mudblood but I'm not a murderer.'' Hermione replied dangerously.

That stung.

How could Granger not understand? Should she honestly spell things out for her?

''I had to kill. He would have told the Dark Lord everything. He would have known that I tried to save _you_ from Greyback, and _you_ are Potter's closest ally… And the Dark Lord threatened me with my sisters' lives. I can't risk the Dark Lord _not_ trusting me, okay?'' Bellatrix explained herself as if she was speaking to a toddler.

''Why did he threaten you?'' Hermione asked, ignoring her tone of voice.

''He wants me to do something, if I don't succeed he will kill my sisters.''

''Do you need to hand over Harry?''

''No.''

''I don't believe you.''

''I can't make you.''

Bellatrix tried her best to keep her facial expressions indifferent to Hermione's hostile one. A part of her wanted to curse the mudblood into absurdity, the other part wanted nothing more than to be believed.

''If it isn't Harry, then what is it? What do you need to do for your _Dark Lord_?'' Hermione asked after a while, sarcastically.

''I can't tell you. It's not Potter. Needless to say, if it was Potter it would have been…easier. Potter isn't half as skilled as I am.''

Hermione seemed as if she wanted to argue that point, but Bellatrix knew she couldn't, after all, she was an immensely gifted pureblood witch. There was no point being _humble_ about that. Potter didn't stand a chance, _perhap_ s with a Defensive spell here or there, but tactically and theoretically she were miles ahead of him.

''It isn't Harry?''

''No.''

''Then who?''

''At the end of the day, it doesn't matter.'' Bellatrix replied impatiently.

''Why? Because 'all could be made undone'?''

Bellatrix didn't expect her to recall that...

''Nothing passes you, does it? I haven't ever met anyone as _intrusive_ as you –''

''Answer me. Whether you like it or not, I could make your life a living hell with all I know.''

''Aren't you already? And here I thought you _cared_.''

''I… Well I _do_ care.''

''No you don't. You care about Potter. Tell me, does _Weasley_ know about your infatuation with him? Since you're _dating_ him after all, aren't you?'' Bellatrix asked her, and she smirked when she pointedly looked away from her. Bellatrix was sure that Granger wasn't a liar, but she was also certain that she wasn't dating Weasley…

 _I mean, who would?_

'' _Don't_ change the subject! Can you go back in time again?''

''Yes.''

''When?''

''Soon.'' Bellatrix wasn't prepared to give her too much detail.

''Within this year?''

''Perhaps.''

''So you can go back in time and nothing you did during this time would matter?''

''Well I suppose. I could as my older self, prevent my younger self, to kill in the future. Or I could intervene in other ways. I would need to be careful however…''

''Do you _need_ to go back? Do you have a choice?''

''No and yes.''

''Who sent you forward?''

''My mother.''

''You attended her funeral. A dead person cannot cast a spell.'' Hermione challenged. ''Did _he_ send you?''

Bellatrix sighed angrily when Hermione's mouth tilted into a know-it-all smirk.

''It was, wasn't it? It was You-Know-Who.'' Hermione smiled bitterly, as if she just figured something out.

 _Stupid mudblood. If this is what it is to have someone other than family care about you, then it is bloody suffocating…_

''Your silence is telling.'' Hermione bitterly spoke, as if she has been betrayed all along.

''Is it?'' Bellatrix sarcastically asked.

''Of course it is! Whatever You-Know-Who planned is – ''

'' _Dumbledore_!'' Bellatrix exclaimed loudly. ''It was bloody Dumbledore! And that _idiot_ headmaster of ours won't reveal _why_ my mother _dictated_ to him to cast it. I _don't_ know why – meanwhile I'm trying damned hard to get my sisters and I out of this mess. So if you would bugger off -''

''Dumbledore did it?'' Hermione asked, shocked.

''Yes.'' Bellatrix hissed.

''You-Know-Who never knew you'd disappear?''

''No. And he is just _thrilled_ that I disappeared right under his nose – well, back then he still had one mind you, and as punishment he keeps me ransom with a task –''

Bellatrix stopped speaking. She said more than enough and Granger was hanging on every word as if she was listening to a folk prayer.

''What a _bastard_!'' Hermione shouted forcefully, confusing Bellatrix.

''Yes I know right, Dumbledore really made my life a living hell –''

''Not Dumbledore! _Voldemort_!''

Bellatrix shuddered unhappily.

''Don't say his name–''

''I don't care! I mean, if you fail to complete the task he'll kill you and your sisters for something you had no say in.'' Hermione got up from her chair and started to pace around the classroom. Bellatrix watched her curiously.

 _She really does care._

And Bellatrix didn't know how to feel about that. Did she endanger her by telling her? What if Granger did something stupid? Gryffindor's are as brave as they are foolish after all...

''I won't _fail_.'' Bellatrix snobbishly shrugged of the concern. She didn't have the energy to convince Granger that she _was_ capable- she was struggling to convince herself for heavens sake. She really had to meet up with Snape again…

''I'll help you.'' Hermione urged, and Bellatrix laughed.

 _Imagine that. A Gryffindor helping her murder Dumbledore…_

''I don't require your help.''

''But –''

''Shush. You know enough. And if you _dare_ be a sneak – ''

''I won't tell anyone.'' Hermione angrily responded. ''I want to help –''

''You'll help if you keep your pretty lips sealed.'' Bellatrix interrupted, and it took her a slow second to realise what she said. _Shit_.

''Uh… _What_?'' Hermione asked incredulously. ''That's the second time you've called me pret –''

''Don't flatter yourself.'' Bellatrix rolled her eyes when Hermione's face, still puffy from crying earlier, started to blush.

''To repeat – I don't need your help.'' She decided it was best to play indifferent to Hermione's state and silence.

''Anything _else_ , Miss _Granger_?'' She asked, taunting a response. ''Now I know how the teachers feel when you ask them questions. It's _gruelling_.''

''I'm worried –''

''Don't be.'' Bellatrix smirked. ''What's worrying is that you would _lie_ about dating Weasley?'' She still wanted an answer from Granger concerning that. And she had to hold onto Granger's lie to regain control over their conversation...

''I didn't –''

''You did. Why?''

''You made me feel stupid for looking nice. I didn't want you to think that I dressed up for detention.'' Hermione explained, looking embarrassed.

''So you did?''

''Did what?''

''Dress up for detention?''

''No!'' Hermione answered quickly. Too quickly. And Bellatrix found herself smiling with delight.

''Well you looked _beautiful_.'' Bellatrix mockingly praised Hermione.

Hermione remained silent, her face again turned into a glowing red colour.

'' _Empty_ compliments make you less talkative. I'll remember that.'' Bellatrix harshly commented. ''Two last things _Hermione_ \- keep your eyes open at lunch today. Pansy and Grabbe are planning something. And...tell Potter that his godfather is back. If my reckless cousin wasn't such an _idiot_ , we might have had our detention with McGonagall after all...''

With that, Bellatrix finally left the classroom and loudly closed the door before Hermione could respond. She didn't owe her anything. The explanation she gave the Gryffindor had to be enough.

Granger had to keep her distance from now on, but why was she so relieved when the mudblood never did?

xx


End file.
